On Tuesday 28th March, 2017, a joint operation between the Office of National Drug and Money Laundering Control Policy (ONDCP) and the K-9 Unit of the Royal Police Force of Antigua and Barbuda was conducted in the Long Bay Area.
A search of the area led to the discovery of two (2) firearms, a Glock 9mm and a Colt 9mm, along with a total of ninety-four (94) rounds of ammunition which included one (1) hollow point. In addition, 176 packages of cannabis originating from Venezuela were seized.
The Cannabis weighs a total of 411 lbs 2oz and carries an estimated wholesale value of One Million, Six Hundred and Forty-four Thousand Five Hundred EC Dollars (XCD $1,644,500.00).
This operation comes on the heels of another operation conducted in the Long Bay Area where four (4) persons, 1 Dominican Republic and 3 Venezuelans, were apprehended and subsequently handed over to the Immigration Department. Â Investigations into these matters are ongoing.
The seizures of these weapons and large amount of ammunition demonstrates the serious risk to law enforcement officers engaged in counter narcotics operations and in pursuit of organized crime syndicates.
This recent success brings the total seizures year to date by the ONDCP to 810 lbs of cannabis and 50.9 kilos of cocaine. The ONDCP and other law enforcement partners continue to make it difficult for Antigua and Barbuda to be used as a transshipment point for narcotics.
