On Wednesday 9th July 2014, the Office of National Drug and Money Laundering Control Policy (ONDCP) conducted another successful counter narcotics operation and seized over 480 Kilos of Cocaine.
480 Kilos of Cocaine
Assisting in the investigations are a 41 year old Antiguan male and a 41 year old Guyanese female both residing in Old Runway. The estimated wholesale value of the seized narcotic is slightly under EC $ 17,000,000.00. It is expected that relevant persons will soon be charged and will be arraigned before the Court on Friday 11th July 2014. The value of these same drugs in the UK would be approximately £ 24 million pounds.
On hearing the news Prime Minister the Hon Gaston Browne congratulated the Agency on its recent successes and reaffirmed his Government’s Zero Tolerance policy as it relates to issues of drug trafficking, and related crimes.
This recent success follows the seizure of approximately 2300 pounds of Cannabis that carried an estimated street value of EC $37 million and the arrest of the Jamaican crew comprising of six (6) men who are presently awaiting trial in the High Court.
This seizure represents the single largest seizure of cocaine by any Caribbean Law Enforcement agency in recent times. In 2010, the ONDCP then seized over 900 kilos of Cocaine from three Columbian men and one Venezuelan man. At the conclusion of the trial the captain of the vessel received 14 years imprisonment and a record fine of EC $ 385,675,920.18.
Director Croft was very pleased with the productivity of the Agency particularly over the last six weeks and indicated that the men and women of the agency must be complimented for the tireless and relentless efforts undertaken to achieve these tremendous results. It is often underestimated, (people take for granted), the commitment and the amount of work that must be undertaken by ONDCP officers and other Law Enforcement agencies to realize success. Director Croft thanks the families of the men and women who have made sacrifices in order that the officers can do their jobs efficiently and effectively, and he also expressed appreciation to the Agency’s partners for the support provided.
