Smugglers move ganja in luxury buses

December 05, 2018

The Narcotics police have uncovered what seems to be a new trend by drug traffickers who use the legitimate courier and transport services of Knutsford Express to try and bypass the efforts of the lawmen to crack down on the distribution of illicit drugs islandwide.

THE STAR has learnt that during an operation last Friday, at about 10 p.m., at the company's New Kingston location, a search of one of their buses immediately upon arrival yielded satisfactory findings for the police.

Superintendent Jervis Moore, head of the Narcotics Division, confirmed the seizure of drugs and the arrest of a male passenger during the operation.

"Yes, the police found bags containing drugs (ganja). One person has been charged in connection with the seizure. Yes, it has become a trend because people think that Knutsford [buses] are not being searched," he said.

"The laws of Jamaica give us permission to search even the Prime Minister's house or even my house for that matter, if we believe drugs are there."

Our news team understands that scores of passengers travelling from Montego Bay, upon arrival in New Kingston, were separated from their luggage last Friday. They watched as the police and search dogs sniffed the bus and their luggage for drugs.

THE STAR was told that two pillow cases containing an undetermined amount of ganja was seized.

 

BEEN INCONVENIENCED

 

A passenger, who claimed to have been inconvenienced by the search, told our news team that the discovery was appalling.

"I was really shocked because I thought it was a grand waste of time. Turns out the police were on the ball on this one. I was surprised when I saw the bags with the weed, and the man they arrested don't even look like a drug dealer. The policeman did apologise for any inconvenience caused," the passenger said.

Yesterday, our news team contacted Knutsford Express for a response, but a representative told THE STAR that they could not confirm the incident at the time of our call.

Checks were then made by the representative to have a senior member of staff speak on the issue. However, up to press time, no call was returned to our news team.

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