A large quantity of ganja, believed to be a part of the guns for drugs trade, was seized by officers attached to the St. James police division in Lilliput, yesterday.

Acting on intelligence, the police went to a location in the community in search of high-powered rifles and drugs.

While entering a premises, they say a man was seen running into a highly vegetated and hilly area. The location was searched, and a room filled with vegetable matter believed to be ganja was discovered. The quantity of the drug has not yet been determined.

An investigation has been launched into the discovery of the substance.

Meanwhile, a seizure at sea which led to the apprehension of four people on Wednesday, has also been linked to the drugs for guns trade.

The Jamaica Defence Force seized 1,279.9 pounds of marijuana, during that joint operation.

A JDF team in a helicopter spotted the vessel in Jamaica’s waters while on patrol. The Coast Guard was alerted, and the vessel was intercepted. A search of the vessel revealed twenty large bags of marijuana.

The four occupants of the vessel, two of whom were identified as Nicaraguans, were taken into custody.

The JDF says the seizure is significant, as it puts a major dent in the drugs-for-guns trade.

They say the quantity of marijuana seized could be used to purchase approximately fifteen rifles or thirty pistols.

The army is urging fisherfolk and other seafarers to use the country’s maritime spaces in accordance with the law and to report illegal activities to the JDF tip line at 876-837-8888 or to the MACC air operations centre at 1-876-967-8193, 876-836-1216 or 876-322-6599.