The Jamaica Defence Force (JDF), Coast Guard seized close to J$4 billion worth of cocaine, following a high speed chase in our territorial waters on Wednesday.
In a statement on Thursday, the Coast Guard says it seized 990.71 pounds of the drug, which has an estimated street value of J$3.7 billion.
The coast guard says it was conducting routine patrols south of the island when it intercepted a vessel believed to be transporting illicit narcotics.
A chase then ensued, with the occupants of the suspected drug smuggling vessel tossing multiple packages overboard as they fled.
The Coast Guard retrieved the contraband and handed it over to the narcotics police for processing.
The statement from the JDF does not say whether the occupants of the vessel were arrested.
Nor did it say how many occupants were aboard the suspect vessel.
The JDF describes the seizure as a significant disruption to regional drug-trafficking networks.
It says the seizure underscores the JDF’s commitment to regional security cooperation and the protection of Jamaica’s borders against transnational organised crime.
The drug seizure comes against the backdrop of the US military’s continuous patrol of Caribbean waters and the launching of deadly air strikes against suspected drug smuggling boats.