Five men charged after 700lb ganja bust

Boat filled with ganja seized off Grand Cayman on 25 January 2018

(CNS): Five men who were intercepted by the RCIPS Joint Marine Unit in two separate boats last Thursday have been charged with various offences relating to both drug trafficking and human smuggling. Police seized more than 700lbs of ganja after tracking one of the boats to the West Bay shoreline, where it was abandoned near Uncle Bob’s Road. Yoandy Ebanks (36) from West Bay and Terry Wright (39) from Jamaica were arrested shortly after. They have both since been charged with the importation of ganja in connection with the significant drug haul.

Ebanks is also facing charges of human smuggling and Wright with illegal landing. The two men appeared in Summary Court Monday and were initially remanded in custody as they awaited for the legal papers to be prepared.

Three other men on the second boat who escaped police on Thursday were arrested by customs officers on Friday in Cayman Brac.

Canoe found off Cayman Brac 26 January 2018, believed by the crown to be involved in drug smuggling

Oshane Nickoy Ricketts, Andre Washington Robinson, and Nicholas Odell Maxam, all from Jamaica have now been charged with illegal landing, with Robinson also charged with possession of ganja. Although the crown claims the two boats are connected, the Jamaican men in the second boat have not been charged over the 700+lb ganja seizure.

The men made a brief separate appearance in Summary Court, where their defence attorney said they were not linked to the drug haul and they were forced to land on the Brac because of poor weather. The men were remanded in custody as the crown continues with the case.

All five men are expected to return to court later this week.