Cops make massive cocaine bust in St Andrew

One man has been arrested following a massive cocaine bust in St Andrew on January 8.

An anti-narcotics operation that was conducted by the Firearms and Narcotics Investigation Division took place at 10:50 a.m., at an apartment complex in Charlton Court. A team of police personnel acting on information, intercepted a grey Toyota Hiace motor vehicle at the gate of the complex, which led them to an apartment where the cocaine was found. A search of the apartment and vehicle uncovered 122 parcels of cocaine, weighing approximately 134 kilograms (295 pounds) valued at more US$500 million (approximately J$78.1 billion).

The accused 63-year-old Allan Patrick Constable, a property manager, was taken into custody and charged for several offences under the Dangerous Drugs Act, including: possession of cocaine; dealing in cocaine; trafficking of cocaine; conspiracy to traffic cocaine; and possession of criminal property.

This seizure comes on the heels of another major in which 42 pounds of cocaine were seized in St James two days prior. An intelligence-led anti-narcotics operation was conducted in the vicinity of a hotel in Lilliput, resulting in the arrest of Christopher Keddo, tour operator of Little London, Westmoreland, and the seizure of several parcels of cocaine. Keddo has since been charged with: possession of cocaine; dealing in cocaine; taking preparatory steps to export cocaine; conspiracy to export cocaine; trafficking cocaine; and possession of criminal property.

In a separate operation, a 58-year-old farmer from St Elizabeth was arrested on January 9, for suspected breaches of the Dangerous Drugs Act. A search of the vehicle he was driving uncovered 2.3 kilograms of cocaine hidden in a black speaker box. He has been identified as George Scott of Lovely Point in the parish. Scott was charged for possession of, dealing in, and trafficking cocaine. The court dates for Constable, Keddo and Scott are being finalised.