Jamaica records 5,100kg cocaine seizure in first half of 2026, highest in a decade
Key Points(5)
- Jamaica has recorded its largest cocaine seizure in a decade, with authorities confiscating more than 5,100 kilograms (over 11,000 pounds) of the illicit drug in the first six months of 2026 alone.
- The JCF said that between 2016 and 2025, law enforcement agencies seized a cumulative 11,852 kilograms of cocaine.
- The amount confiscated so far this year represents about 43 per cent of that decade-long total.
- By comparison, authorities seized a combined 4,916 kilograms of cocaine between 2016 and 2021.
- Director of the Firearms and Narcotics Investigation Division (FNID), Superintendent Patrae Rowe, described the seizures as a significant achievement for investigators and law enforcement partners.
Jamaica has recorded its largest cocaine seizure in a decade, with authorities confiscating more than 5,100 kilograms (over 11,000 pounds) of the illicit drug in the first six months of 2026 alone.
According to the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF), the haul, valued at approximately J$3 billion, exceeds the combined total amount of cocaine seized during the six-year period from 2016 to 2021 and is more than double the previous single-year record of 2,508 kilograms (5,529 pounds) recorded in 2024.
The JCF said that between 2016 and 2025, law enforcement agencies seized a cumulative 11,852 kilograms of cocaine. The amount confiscated so far this year represents about 43 per cent of that decade-long total. By comparison, authorities seized a combined 4,916 kilograms of cocaine between 2016 and 2021.
Director of the Firearms and Narcotics Investigation Division (FNID), Superintendent Patrae Rowe, described the seizures as a significant achievement for investigators and law enforcement partners.
“Removing over 5,000 kilograms of cocaine from the illicit market in less than six months is a good achievement for our investigators and border security partners. This J$3 billion seizure directly impacts on the financial infrastructure of criminal syndicates and helps prevent the violence they cause from reaching our streets. We will continue to vigorously pursue and dismantle these networks,” Rowe said.
The police said the record-breaking seizures underscore intensified efforts by the FNID and its local and international partners to disrupt drug trafficking operations and weaken organized criminal networks operating in and through Jamaica.
