Jamaica Strengthening Fight Against Transshipment of Illicit Drugs – PM

Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, says Jamaica is committed to the fight against the transshipment of illicit drugs and continues to bolster measures to protect the country’s borders.

He said the focus is on disrupting transnational criminal networks and their supply chains.

“Jamaica is aggressively seeking to strengthen the capacity of the Jamaica Customs Agency (JCA) as a key component of not just our border protection system but integrated into our national security apparatus,” he noted.

“The agency recently obtained direct access to the information system of Interpol and we have now established a very strong internal cooperation between Customs, our Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF), the military and our major organised and anti-corruption investigation agency,” he added.

The Prime Minister was addressing Tuesday’s (September 19) opening of the 37th International Drug Enforcement Conference (IDEC) at the Montego Bay Convention Centre in Rose Hall, St. James.

More than 900 delegates representing 139 countries are attending the three-day conference to discuss and collaborate on issues related to drug enforcement and the global drug trade.

The Prime Minister underscored the need for a cooperative multilateral strategy to effectively combat drug trafficking, which he noted, remains a global challenge that transcends geographical boundaries.

He noted, for example, that there are an estimated 150 unofficial entry points into Jamaica.

In addition, the island’s geographic location and accessibility facilitates direct routes for narco-trafficking from South and Central America to the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom (UK).

The Prime Minister said the Government remains vigilant to the rising cocaine production in countries such as Colombia, which has resulted in an uptick in cocaine seizures within Jamaica.

“The authorities have confiscated approximately 1.5 tons [of illegal drugs] in January, one of the largest drug busts in the country’s history. For 2023, a total of 7,762 kilograms of marijuana has been seized at our southwestern border. In fact, since the start of this year, there have been two seizures of metrolyn dexamphetamine originating from the United States and the Netherlands and we had four such seizures in 2022,” he pointed out.

He further highlighted the worrying trend of increased production and trafficking of synthetic drugs like MDMA, also called Ecstasy or Molly, in Jamaica.

Mr. Holness commended the efforts of the nation’s law-enforcement agencies for their relentless work in combatting drug trafficking. but noted that there is more to be done.