Three Colombians charged after record cocaine seizure
Published:Tuesday | March 31, 2026 | 1:50 PM
Three Colombian nationals have been charged in connection with what investigators say is Jamaica’s largest-ever single cocaine seizure, valued at approximately $1.7 billion.
Charged are 39-year-old Lucio Henry of San Andres, 34-year-old Arith Lopez of Barranquilla, and 22-year-old Klein Sinclair of Providence, all in Colombia. They are charged with possession, dealing, trafficking, importing cocaine, conspiracy to traffic, and illegal entry.
Detectives from the Firearms and Narcotics Investigations Division (FNID) say the charges follow a coastal interception on March 21 off the coast of Alligator Pond, St Elizabeth, a statement said Tuesday.
According to investigators, about 4:10 a.m. on the day of the interception, members of the Jamaica Defence Force stopped an unnamed fishing vessel offshore, where the three men were found aboard with 99 knitted bags containing cocaine.
The vessel and cargo were later escorted to the Jamaica Defence Force Coast Guard base in Port Royal before being handed over to FNID investigators.
Police say the knitted bags contained more than 2,400 parcels of cocaine weighing over 6,000 pounds.
Director of FNID Superintendent of Police Patrae Rowe said the seizure reflects a “consistent collaborative approach” to disrupting the illegal drug trade, adding that operational strategies and stakeholder engagement are producing results.
The accused were interviewed in the presence of legal counsel and an interpreter before being formally charged on March 31.
They are scheduled to appear before the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court on April 7.
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