Criminals continue to use the island’s courier services to smuggle packages of cocaine and ganja across ports, sparking particular concern for law enforcement as the Christmas frenzy and COVID-19-induced economic desperation brew.
Since January, there have been more than 504 drug seizures at courier services, including at the Central Sorting Office, FedEx, DHL and AMJET Cargo Warehouse locally. More than 357 cases of ganja, weighing 292 kilograms; a small quantity of cash; and 127 cases of cocaine with a weight of 21.5 kilograms and local value of $25,860,000 have been seized.
Head of the Police Narcotics Unit, Senior Superintendent Jervis Moore, said that while the practice is not new, the impact of the COVID-19 containment measures has made many Jamaicans more desperate, especially during the festive season.