MoBay businessman charged after multi-million-dollar cocaine seizure
ST JAMES, Jamaica — Montego Bay businessman, Oral Johnson, 43-years-old of Garden District, Westmoreland, who was arrested on April 26, 2022, following the seizure of approximately 24 pounds of cocaine in Coral Gardens, Montego Bay, St James, is now charged.
Johnson was formally interviewed in the presence of his attorney on Tuesday, May 3, after which he was charged with the offences of possession of cocaine, dealing in cocaine, taking steps to export cocaine and trafficking cocaine.
READ: Cash seized in St James less than US$5 million – police
Circumstances are that on Tuesday, April 26, a motorcar the accused was driving was intercepted by the police in the Coral Gardens area of St James. During a search of the vehicle the cocaine with an estimated street value of US$550,000 or $82.5 million was found and seized. Johnson was then arrested on reasonable suspicion for breaches of the Dangerous Drugs Act. The subsequent investigation resulted in him being formally charged yesterday.
During other operations a search was conducted at a premises owned and occupied by one Presley Bingham at 114 Torado Drive, St James. This led to the seizure of an additional quantity of illegal drugs with cash amounting to over US$3.8 million and CA$30,000.
The police are conducting an investigation into these seizures and are urging Bingham, otherwise called “Pressa”, to report to the Narcotics Division at 230 Spanish Town Road, Kingston 11, immediately to facilitate this investigation.