Cocaine trafficking on the rise
June 04, 2008
April was a busy month for cocaine traffickers, who attempted to smuggle the narcotic to North America and the United Kingdom (UK) via Jamaica. According to police statistics, narcotics detectives seized 15.44 kilograms of the drug in April.
This is almost twice the amount seized over the comparable period last year. Speaking with The Gleaner last week, head of the Narcotics Division, Senior Superintendent of Police Carlton Wilson, disclosed that a total of 98 kilograms of cocaine was seized in 2007.
Increased attempts
Up to the first calendar quarter of this year, the narcotics cops had already seized 37 kilograms of the substance.
Speaking against the background of a number of arrests last week, Wilson said as summer approaches, the police had observed an increase in attempts by air passengers to smuggle cocaine.
"The methods are not new. What we are seeing is a resurgence of some of the old methods," said Wilson.
Some of the methods include liquefying the cocaine in rum, which is then packaged in sealed, transparent bottles, as well as concealing the drug in canned juices and shoes, which are usually packed in suitcases.
Last December, a Jamaica Information Service report quoted the outgoing commander in the Jamaica Defence Force, naval Captain Sydney Innis, as saying: "I have seen a significant fall in the importation or trans-shipment of cocaine through our waters."...
Author: Glenroy Sinclair
Source: Jamaica Gleaner
