Counter-Illicit Operation Leads To Seizure And Arrest | News | CVMTV

The 1st District Jamaica Defence Force Coast Guard made a major seizure and made arrests in a counter-illicit trafficking operation off the St. Thomas coast. During offshore patrols on Saturday, a Vessel of Interest (VOI) carrying approximately 2629 lbs of marijuana was intercepted. The vessel was initially identified within a known vector used for illicit trafficking between Jamaica and Haiti. Efforts by the JDF resulted in the rapid deployment of an operational team, which boarded the vessel, leading to the discovery of the contraband and the detention of two Jamaican nationals onboard. The detainees and the seized contraband were transported to Station Port Morant and handed over to investigators from the Jamaica Constabulary Force Narcotics Division. The compressed marijuana, packaged in knitted bags and buckets, is estimated to have a street value of approximately twenty-six million Jamaican dollars. The JDF emphasizes that the drug-for-guns trade between Jamaica and Haiti remains a major source of illicit firearms for gangs within Jamaica. This successful operation has prevented the potential influx of a significant number of illegal weapons back into Jamaica.