SANTA CRUZ, St Elizabeth — The police high command has confirmed reports of a stand-off lasting about two hours yesterday afternoon between residents of the Roses Valley community in the Balaclava area of North East St Elizabeth and a team from the police Transnational Crime and Narcotics Division.

The Jamaica Observer was told that the transnational team, numbering three, was penned in by residents who accused them of trying to steal ganja. The transnational team members reportedly said they were on an anti-narcotics operation.

Assistant Commissioner of Police Derrick Cochrane, who heads the Police Area Three (St Elizabeth, Clarendon, Manchester), said the stand-off, which started at about 1:00 pm, ended following the arrival and intervention of reinforcements from the St Elizabeth police.

Cochrane said the allegations made by the residents would be thoroughly investigated.

There were no reports of injuries and a report that a service vehicle was slightly damaged could not be confirmed.