Two Jamaican men were arrested, following the seizure of over two thousand six hundred (2600) pounds of compressed ganja off the coast of St. Thomas yesterday.

The identities of the men are being withheld pending further investigations.

In a statement today, the Jamaica Defence Force Coast Guard said a vessel was initially spotted

southwest of Bowden Bay, St. Thomas, within a known vector utilized for illicit trafficking, between Jamaica and Haiti.

It said the vessel was intercepted and 2,629 pounds of compressed ganja packaged in knitted bags and buckets were found aboard. 

The drug has an estimated street value of twenty-six million dollars.

The JDF said the drug was seized and the two men were apprehended and taken to the Port Morant police station, where they were handed over to investigators assigned to the Jamaica Constabulary Force Narcotics Division. 

The men are to be interviewed in the presence of their attorney.

Meantime, the JDF said the drug-for-guns trade between Jamaica and Haiti continues to be one of the

main sources of illicit firearms for gangs within the island.

The JDF said yesterday’s seizure has prevented the possibility of a significant number of illegal weapons returning to Jamaica’s shores.

It said the security forces will continue to be relentless in its conduct of counter-illicit trafficking and other operations in furtherance of the mandate to protect Jamaica’s borders and blue economy.

Persons with  information about illicit activities are being encouraged to call the JDF Tip line at 876-837-8888, Crime Stop at 311, the National Intelligence Bureau (NIB) tip line at 811 or the police at 119.