Border ‘bubble’ breached by drug boat

(CNS): A 46-year-old Jamaican national is said to be in isolation at HMP Northward after he was charged with importing two guns, ammunition and ganja and illegal landing in Cayman. The suspected drug and arms dealer breached Cayman’s border-bubble at 5am last Thursday (21 May) near Spotts Beach.

Police on patrol in the area came across a Jamaican-style canoe and during a search of the area recovered an undisclosed amount of ganja. They then began looking for the crew of the vessel and a few hours later the man believed to have brought the boat was arrested.

On Saturday he was formally charged for two counts of possession of an unlicensed firearm, possession of ammunition, importing and supplying ganja, and illegally landing in the Cayman Islands. He appeared in court Monday, 25 May, via video link and was remanded in custody until 8 June.

Governor Martyn Roper confirmed at Monday’s COVID-19 briefing that the man had been treated with the expected protocols in terms of the coronavirus and the prisoner was being held in isolation.

Jamaica has seen 552 cases since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic and nine people have died. While the country has seen a significant decline in the number of cases per day since a peak of 50 in May, around 10,000 people have been tested, which, given its population, is at the lower end of global testing rates.