Cops hold suspects in Haiti/Jamaica drug for gun trade
THE police believe they have made a dent in the in the operations of a guns for drug trade operating between Jamaica and its Caribbean neighbours Haiti, following an operation in Hampton, St Thomas Thursday night in which 11 people, including four foreigners were arrested.
The 11 included 3 Jamaican women.
Three of the foreigners are Haitians and the other a Honduran, the police reported yesterday. One of the women held was said to be the wife of the Honduran.
According to Operation Kingfish, which conducted the operation, four handguns and a quantity of assorted ammunition were seized during the raid, in which members of the constabulary received assistance from the Jamaica Defence Force Airwing.
Information officer for Operation Kingfish, Inspector Steve Brown, said the operation would prove to be a major setback for the gun-runners.
“We suspect the Honduran to be a major player in the illegal activity and with his arrest and the arrest of the others we know that this will stem the tide of illegal arms which are flooding the island,” Brown said.
Yesterday, top sleuths from Operation Kingfish were interrogating the suspected arms dealers.
Last year the police seized 675 illegal guns and 8,140 rounds of assorted ammunition. Included in the haul were 314 pistols, 165 homemade firearms, 123 revolvers and 26 assault rifles.
Just this week Commissioner Lucius Thomas vowed that the police would be moving to break the back of the guns for drugs trade on the islands coastal waters.
