FOUR Jamaicans were among seven men who were nabbed by the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service during a counter-narcotics operation early yesterday morning.

The Jamaicans, the police reported, were aboard a boat which was loaded with 600 pounds of compressed ganja.

A Cayman Islands citizen who was aboard the 32-foot boat as well as two others who were ashore were also arrested in the operation.

All seven men have been arrested on suspicion of importation of a controlled drug and possession of a controlled drug with intent to supply.

The four Jamaicans also face charges of illegal entry into the Cayman Islands.

Police here believe the Jamaicans held in the Cayman operation were part of a local drug cartel.

“The men held are suspected to belong to a drug syndicate that operates out of Westmoreland with links in the Cayman Islands. They sneaked out of our territorial waters under the cover of darkness,” said Sergeant Jubert Llewelyn, spokesman for the constabulary’s Operation Kingfish.

The arrests were a result of close work between the Jamaican and Cayman Islands police,” Sgt Llewelyn said.

At the same time, Deborah Denis, public relations officer for the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service said the names of the Jamaicans would not be released until they were charged.

Observer sources said yesterday that three of the men live in Westmoreland, while the other man resided in the neighbouring parish of Hanover.

Their boat was intercepted off the coast of Grand Cayman by Marine Unit officers aboard the Tornado and Cayman Defender Coast Guard vessels.

A helicopter was also used in the operation which began about 12:30 am yesterday.

In a release to the media yesterday, head of the Cayman Islands Marine Unit, Superintendent Kurt Walton, hailed the work of the police.

“We know drugs and other contraband arrive in the Cayman Islands by boat. Marine unit officers, along with other departments are working hard to protect our borders and intercept these vessels,” Walton was quoted in the release as saying.