980lbs ganja seized off North West Point

(CNS): Three men have been charged with importation of ganja and illegal landing after the Cayman Islands Coast Guard and RCIPS Air Operations Unit intercepted a drug canoe off North West Point in West Bay last Thursday. The open-water bust happened around 3:50am on 24 September, when the crew aboard the police helicopter on aerial patrol spotted the suspicion boat. When the men on board saw the chopper, they began throwing what turned out to be ganja overboard.

The helicopter alerted the coastguard, which responded and intercepted the vessel. Three Jamaican nationals, aged 56, 44, and 31, were arrested on suspicion of illegal landing and drug related offenses. The police recovered a total of 42 packages of ganja with a gross weight of 980lbs.

The men were charged on Friday with smuggling and landing in Cayman illegally and are expected in court today (Monday). One of the men was also charged with contravention of a deportation order.