By Glenroy Sinclair, Staff ReporterNARCOTICS DETECTIVES were kept busy over the Christmas holidays, intercepting over 780 pounds of compressed ganja which smugglers attempted to slip through the island's ports.
Up to December 20, the narcotics police had seized 36,122.6 kilogrammes of ganja, 1,582.57 kilogrammes of cocaine, destroyed 444.46 hectares of ganja and arrested 5,948 persons in connection with the drug seizures.
Reports are that the latest seizure took place between December 26 and 30, at the island's two international airports and the coastal waters in the vicinity of Kingston Wharf. At least five persons, including a 17-year-old schoolgirl from Claremont, St. Ann, were arrested.
On Boxing Day, December 26, 43-year-old Paula Morgan, of a Spanish Town, St. Catherine address was nabbed at the Norman Manley International Airport, after she allegedly ingested a quantity of cocaine pellets. She was en route to Fort Lauderdale in the United States. A sub-officer at the Narcotics Division told The Gleaner yesterday that there has been a decrease in the number of persons ingesting cocaine and attempting to depart the island. The officer said in 2002, 351 persons were arrested and up to late Wednesday afternoon, only 87 persons were caught for 2003.
CANADIAN NATIONAL ARRESTED
On December 28, a 23-year-old Canadian national, Asha Vialva, of East York, Toronto, was arrested at the Sangster International Airport, Montego Bay, St. James, after police allegedly found 30 pounds of compressed ganja among her belongings.
The narcotics police reported that on December 28, a Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) Coast Guard vessel seized a box with 40 pounds of compressed ganja. Reports are that the box was observed floating in the waters near Berth 6 at the Kingston Wharf.
The 17-year-old student was held on December 29, at the Norman Manley International Airport, Kingston, after she was allegedly found with two-and-a-half pounds of cocaine, destined for the United Kingdom.
AIRPORT SEIZURE
At the fumigation section of the Norman Manley International Airport on December 29, the lawmen said 496 pounds of compressed ganja were seized, along with an Isuzu truck. Several persons were also detained. The police reported that the truck dropped off 112 boxes of agricultural produce at the fumigation section, but after processing, 15 of the boxes turned out to contain compressed ganja.
Further reports are that two suitcases with a total of 260 pounds of ganja, that were unaccompanied, were found at the Sangster International Airport on December 30.
Also on December 30, two British nationals, Malcolm Foster, 38, and Ian Fraser, 32, were allegedly caught with a total of 53 pounds of compressed ganja concealed in their suitcases. They were travelling to the United Kingdom.
