Area One chief lauds security vigilance in nabbing cocaine smugglers

WESTERN BUREAU:

Assistant Commissioner of Police Clifford Chambers, the commanding officer for the Area One Police Division in western Jamaica, has credited the vigilance of the security forces’ anti-narcotics agents as a factor in the recent series of arrests of persons trying to smuggle cocaine from Jamaica to Britain.

Chambers made the assertion while speaking to The Gleaner in the wake of several British nationals having been caught trying to traffic the illicit substance through the Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay, St James.

“We are theorising that persons are just now making more effort to get the drugs out of the country. We know summer is approaching, and based on the supply and demand, it would indicate that there is an increasing usage around that time. We are not sure if it is linked to summer break, but what we know for sure is that the interdiction at the airport has increased,” said Chambers.

“We are seeing the relationship with Britain, and those flights are being given particular attention. We are not sure if there are other demand variables that led to the increase in interdiction, but from our transshipment point, we are trying to ensure that we do what we are required to do, given the various issues and sanctions which are likely if it is borne out that these items are coming out of our country, and we will exercise due diligence,” Chambers added.

To date, there have been several British nationals who have been brought before the St James Parish Court on separate counts of possession of, dealing in, and attempting to export varying amounts of cocaine. The defendants were all arrested on various dates in May, with nearly all of their reported contrabands having been destined for Birmingham, England.

The most recent case to be brought before the court is that of 33-year-old Shay Daniel-Jabbi, a bartender of a London, England address, who was arrested on May 10 after allegedly trying to smuggle 20.5 pounds of cocaine in eight rectangular packages in his luggage.

Chambers expressed that the terms of imprisonment which are meted out to defendants on drug charges need to be harsher in order to act as a deterrent to other offenders.

“I know the judiciary uses sentencing guidelines, and that we have to respect that if a person goes before the court and the first-time offender pleads guilty, there is consideration that is given for one who postures accordingly. But if you want it to act as a deterrent, even though you have mandatory minimum sentencing, you have to create a balance between the social implications of the usage of drugs for the country itself, and you have to factor in the pressure it puts on law enforcement and the country as a whole in policing the transshipment of drugs,” said Chambers.

“I believe the sentencing should reflect a little bit more on the issues of concern here and the implications it might have on the country, and also the work of law enforcement, so I think it can be a little bit harsher.”

The British nationals who were arrested in May in relation to cocaine smuggling are:

- David Thomas, a 58-year-old construction worker of London, England, was arrested on May 3 while trying to smuggle 16 pounds of cocaine on to a flight destined for Manchester, England. He was sentenced on June 1 in the St James Parish Court to two years’ imprisonment and a combined $3 million fine.

- Luke Bradly, a 37-year-old construction director of Birmingham, England, who was arrested on May 6 while attempting to smuggle 11 pounds of cocaine on to a flight to Birmingham, England. He was sentenced in the St James Parish Court on May 19 to a period of 10 months in prison, plus a total fine of $1.5 million.

• Loran Bartley, a 59-year-old retired nurse of Birmingham, England, was arrested on May 6 at the same time as Bradly, while also attempting to smuggle 11 pounds of cocaine on to the same flight to Birmingham. He was also sentenced on May 19 to 10 months’ imprisonment and a total $1.5 million fine.

• Burthland Hodges, 49, also of Birmingham, England, was arrested in St Ann on the charge of conspiracy to export cocaine following investigations into the cases of Bradly and Bartley, under allegations that he was a co-conspirator who sourced the cocaine and passed it on to carriers. He appeared in the St James Parish Court on May 19 and was remanded until June 16, when his bail application will continue.

• Kay-Ann Anderson, a 46-year-old manager of London, England, and her child’s father Lekan Olamida, a 48-year-old farmer of Bellefield district in Manchester, were arrested and charged after Anderson was reportedly held with two and a half pounds of cocaine inside a Tastee patty box on May 10 while attempting to board a flight to Birmingham, England. Following Anderson’s detention, Olamida was traced to Manchester and arrested. They appeared in the St James Parish Court on May 19 and were each offered bail in the sum of $2 million, with their case set for continuation on July 14.

• Shay Daniel-Jabbi, a 33-year-old bartender of London, England, was arrested on May 10 after eight rectangular-shaped parcels containing 20.5 pounds of cocaine were reportedly found in his luggage while he was checking in to board a flight to Birmingham, England.

• Madina Sanessie, a 26-year-old chef of a Birmingham, England address, was held at the airport with 12.25 pounds of cocaine while checking in to board a flight to London, England, on May 12. She was sentenced on June 2 to a 10-month term of imprisonment and a fine of $1.5 million.