MoBay businessman held in $80-million cocaine seizure
Published:Sunday | January 31, 2021 | 8:58 AMHopeton Bucknor - Sunday Gleaner Writer
WESTERN BUREAU:
A 59-year-old businessman from St James is the latest person to be arrested by the narcotics police in Western Jamaica, following a multi-million dollar cocaine seizure along a section of the Flankers main road in the parish on Friday afternoon.
Investigators say the identity of the well-known businessman, who hails from the upscale community of Westgate Hills, is being withheld pending further investigations.
Reports from the narcotics police are that about 7:15 p.m. on Friday, lawmen were conducting anti-narcotics operations along the Flankers main road when they signalled the driver of a Hyundai motor car to stop.
The driver, who turned out to be the popular businessman, complied, and, following a search of the vehicle, 11 packages of compressed cocaine, weighing approximately 11 kilograms, were found.
The vehicle and the drugs, which have an estimated street value of over $80 million, were seized, and the businessman taken into custody.
One senior crime-fighter in the parish told The Sunday Gleaner that this is the second St James businessman to be arrested in a major drug bust and fingered in a large scale drugs-for-money trade, over the past few months.
“We have seen where a number of these popular St James businessmen, who reside in upscale communities within the parish, turn out to be involved in several major drug shipments and drug trading, which the police have uncovered over the past seven months,” the officer said.
MAJOR PLAYERS
“From July of last year leading up to this major incident on Friday, the police have clamped down on more than a dozen of these so-called businessmen who turn out to be major players in the illegal drug trade.”
He continued, “More than $100-million worth of cocaine, large quantities of cash, and high-end vehicles valued at several millions of dollars have been seized from these major drug players since the middle of last year.”
The officer said, to date, a number of these drug lords have been convicted, while others have been charged and are before the court.
On Saturday, July 4 last year, another popular St James businessman, who hails from the Irwin community, was arrested during a multi-million dollar drug bust, resulting in the seizure of 45 pounds of cocaine, estimated to value over $30 million.
According to reports, the police intercepted an Isuzu motor truck along the Salem main road in St Ann, and carried out a search of the vehicle which led to the seizure of 19 parcels of cocaine.
A licensed firearm, several rounds of ammunition, along with cash amounting to J$86,000 and US$1,400, were also taken from him. He was transported to his home where an additional 44 9mm cartridges, three high-end vehicles, and J$750,000 were seized.
Four days prior to that incident, the narcotics police, along with the US Drug Enforcement Agency and the Counter Terrorism and Organized Crime Unit, carried out several major operations in Westgate Hills, Catherine Hall, Catherine Mount and Rhyne Park, and arrested eight businessmen, who they say were part of a drug syndicate operating out of Montego Bay.
Among the persons arrested were the son of a former Montego Bay councillor, a former employee of the Tax Administration of Jamaica, and other alleged drug kingpins and lottery scammers who the police say were operating in the parish within two high-profile groups known as O5 Crew and Marvin Network.
Investigators also stated that some of these men were suspected to be involved in various drug networks between St James and the United States, and are expected to be extradited to America to stand trial.