Glenroy Sinclair, Staff Reporter
FOR THE first quarter of the year, the narcotics police say they have destroyed or seized more than $104 million worth of illegal drugs, in more than 128 raids and operations conducted across the island.
"The eradication process is in top gear; we are now covering more ground in terms of the geographics of the island," Superintendent Lloyd Haley, second in command at the Narcotics Division, told The Gleaner yesterday. "We are seizing more drugs and have arrested more people."
According to figures released by the narcotics police, while there has been a significant decrease in the seizure of cocaine, ganja hauls have spiked.
Last year 14,428.11 kilograms of ganja were seized while, for the first quarter of this year, the figure is 8,892.016 kilograms.
Superintendent Haley said narcotics investigation is currently more intense than in the past. He claimed the police are not only zeroing in on the couriers, but major drug lords. The police are even more vigilant at the island's two international airports. Last week, eight airport workers were arrested in connection with attempted drug smuggling.
The United States International Narcotics Control Strategy Report for 2006 described Jamaica as a major transit point for cocaine en route to the United States. The country was also labelled the largest Caribbean producer and exporter of ganja. The report further said cooperation between U.S. and Jamaican law enforcement agencies is considered excellent in most areas.
According to the report, Jamaica sustained its counternarcotics law enforcement programme in 2005, including Operation Kingfish, which has led to the arrest of key traffickers and criminal gang leaders and the dismantling of their organisations.
The report praised the police for their concerted efforts last year at modernisation.
During 2005, systematic scanning of high-density cargo resulted in the seizure of more than 2,000 pounds of marijuana, a large quantity of weapons and other contraband.
Seizures in 2005
Cocaine 152.85 kg
Crack 1,786.00 kg
Ganja 14,428.11 kg
Hash 470.49 kg
Hashish 2.35 kg
Ecstasy 13,070 tablets
January-April 30, 2006
Cocaine 26.724 kg
Crack 0.799 kg
Ganja 8892.016 kg
Hash 1.45 kg
Hashish 0.448 kg
Ecstasy 500 tablets
