CANU Head says that Jamaica drug bust was due to “lapses” here

The recent drug bust of over 300 pounds of cocaine found in two containers that were shipped from Guyana to Jamaica is linked to blunders here. Head of the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU), James Singh, said that this recent drug bust also revealed that procedures and systems need upgrading.

“I can say openly we had some lapses which we have documented and we have submitted a report and we hope that would be implemented soon,” Singh told reporters at the sidelines of an event at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre on Thursday.

He said “action” was also taken against officers from the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) who were linked to the shipment. Scores of packages with 307 pounds of cocaine were found in containers transporting rice and logs at the Kingston Freeport Terminal Limited in Jamaica on March 01, 2021.

According to reports, the drug was found in two of six transshipment containers that arrived on the island from Guyana en route to Haiti and China.

While searching the containers, Narcotics Police, accompanied by members of the Jamaica Customs Contraband Enforcement Team, reportedly found a total of 122 packages (110 in one and 12 in another), each with a compressed white substance resembling cocaine.

The total weight of the drugs is approximately 139.4 kilograms (307 pounds) and the estimated street value is US$6.59 million.

The shipment left Guyana on February 24.