Story and photos by Carlena Knight
More than EC$3 million dollars’ worth of illegal drugs was set ablaze at the Burma Quarry on Friday in the first drug burning exercise of the year.
Police officers and other law enforcement officials witnessed the event, which was also attended by firefighters on standby in case of any eventualities as cannabis, hashish, cocaine, ecstasy tablets and cannabis plants were destroyed.
“These are substances where persons would have been arrested and charged and matters would have been disposed of at the Magistrate’s Court,” explained police spokesman Inspector Frankie Thomas.
“As well as a number of seizures that would have been made by the Narcotics and Customs department so far for the year 2020, and as the amount reached to that level where those in authority saw it necessary for us to have a destruction then we will organise and do like what you see happening,” he told media.
A total of 712 pounds of cannabis with a street value of EC$2.8 million, 37.3 grams of cocaine worth EC$1,305.50, 1,179.5 ecstasy tablets worth EC$58,975, and 114 pounds of hashish worth EC$465,000 were destroyed, equating to a total sum topping EC$3.36 million.
Thomas thanked all law enforcement officials for their work in the confiscation of these items. He says it was imperative that authorities continue to work together to continue the fight in getting illegal drugs off the streets.
“We would have made a significant amount of seizures at the airport and also the Deep Water Harbour, the seaport, and these are substances most of which are imported into the country,” he continued.
“I have to use this opportunity to commend the Narcotics and Customs department for the efforts that they are making. It is really paying off because at the end of the day we have to work towards reducing the flow of illicit drugs into our shores and onto our borders, especially from reaching our doorsteps and where our young people become addicts to these types of drugs,” Thomas added.
