Jamaican authorities have made a massive breakthrough in the fight against narcotics trafficking, seizing cocaine valued at over US$500,000 (JMD$80 million) during a raid at an apartment complex in Charlton Court, St Andrew.
On January 8, 2025, around 10:50 a.m., a police anti-narcotics team intercepted a grey Toyota Hiace vehicle at the entrance of the complex. The investigation led officers to an apartment where a search uncovered 122 parcels of cocaine, weighing approximately 295 pounds (134 kilograms).
The primary suspect, 63-year-old Allan Patrick Constable, a property manager, was arrested and charged under the Dangerous Drugs Act. His charges include possession of cocaine, trafficking, conspiracy to traffic cocaine, and possession of criminal property.
Law enforcement officials have called the seizure a significant blow to organized drug trafficking operations. “This operation sends a clear message that law enforcement agencies will continue to vigorously pursue and prosecute those involved in illicit activities,” a police spokesperson stated.
Two days earlier, on January 6, 2025, another intelligence-led operation near a hotel in Lilliput, St James, resulted in the seizure of 42 pounds of cocaine. Christopher Keddo, a tour operator from Little London, Westmoreland, was arrested and charged with possession, trafficking, conspiracy, and other drug-related offenses.
In a separate incident on January 9, 2025, a 58-year-old farmer, George Scott of Lovely Point, St Elizabeth, was arrested after police found 2.3 kilograms of cocaine hidden in a speaker box in his vehicle. Scott has also been charged with possession, dealing, and trafficking of cocaine.
Police say court dates for Constable, Keddo, and Scott are being finalized. The back-to-back operations highlight the effectiveness of Jamaica’s anti-narcotics efforts and law enforcement’s resolve to dismantle drug trafficking networks across the island.
Update: This article was been updated with a revised figure from the local authorities.
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