THREE COLUMBIANS CHARGED FOLLOWING JAMAICA’S LARGEST COCAINE SEIZURE
Detectives from the Firearms and Narcotics Investigations Division (FNID) have officially charged three Colombian nationals in connection with the largest single cocaine seizure in Jamaica’s recorded history.
The seizure, valued at approximately JM$1.65 billion, follows a coastal interception on Saturday, March 21.
Charged are 39-year-old Lucio Henry, a fisherman of San Andres, Colombia, 34-year-old Arith Lopez, a fisherman of Barranquilla, Colombia and 22-year-old Klein Sinclair, a fisherman of Providence, Colombia.
All three have been charged with Possession of Cocaine, Dealing in Cocaine, Importing Cocaine, Trafficking Cocaine, Conspiracy to Traffic Cocaine and Illegal Entry.
Reports are that about 4:10 a.m. on March 21, members of the Jamaica Defence Force intercepted an unnamed fishing vessel off the coast of Alligator Pond, St. Elizabeth. The three men were found aboard with 99 knitted bags of cocaine.
The vessel and its cargo were escorted to the JDF Coast Guard Base at Port Royal, Kingston and subsequently handed over to FNID investigators later that same day.
The knitted bags revealed more than 2,400 parcels of cocaine weighing over 6000 pounds.
Director of FNID, Superintendent of Police Patrae Rowe, said this large seizure is a show of the consistent collaborative approach to dismantling the illegal drug trade.
“Our efforts are paying off, our strategies are working, our targeted approach in terms of our operational output and our stakeholder engagement has improved sufficiently that we are seeing the kind of results that we are seeing,” said Superintendent Rowe.
The accused were formally interviewed on Tuesday, March 24, in the presence of their legal team and an interpreter. Following these interviews, they were officially charged on Tuesday, March 31.
The accused are scheduled to appear before the Kingston & St. Andrew Parish Court on Tuesday, April 07.
