PR From RCIPS Monday January 29, 2018

Charges have been laid with respect to arrests of two men by the Joint Marine Unit early Thursday morning, 25 January near Uncle Bob Road in West Bay. The accused will appear in court this morning, 29 January.

Both men, age 36 of West Bay, and age 39 of Jamaica, have been charged with Importation of Ganja. The 36-year-old man has further been charged with Human Smuggling, while the 39-year-old Jamaican man has been charged with Illegal Landing.

Charges have also been laid against the three men, all from Jamaica, arrested on Cayman Brac on Friday morning, 26 January, as follows:

All of the men have been charged with Illegal Landing;
A man, age 33, has been charged additionally with Possession of Ganja,
A man, age 29 of Jamaica, has been additionally charged with Failing to Provide a Specimen.

All of the accused will also appear in court today, 29 January.

Attached is a photo of the boat and drugs seized by the Joint Marine Unit on Thursday morning, 25 January, off Uncle Bob Road in West Bay. The gross weight of the drugs is estimated at 692lbs. After forensic analysis further photos will be released.

The second photo is of the canoe that was seized in Cayman Brac.

ENDS

Original PR From RCIPS Friday, January 26, 2018

Subject: Joint Marine Unit Officers Recover Boat Containing Large Quantities of Ganja, Arrests Made

At about 4:30AM on Thursday, 25 January, officers from the Joint Marine Unit (JMU) came upon two vessels acting suspiciously in the vicinity of the Big Channel entrance to North Sound. As the JMU moved into position to intercept them, both vessels made off. The JMU, with assistance from the Air Operations Unit, pursued one vessel which was then abandoned in shallow water close to Uncle Bob Road, West Bay.

The vessel was recovered along with a large quantity of ganja on board. With the assistance of local residents and land-based RCIPS officers, two persons, a man aged 36 of West Bay, and a man aged 39 of Jamaica, were arrested on suspicion of Being Concerned in the Importation of Ganja and Human Smuggling. The men remain in police custody and investigations are ongoing.

The second vessel made off to sea.

This morning, 26 January, officers from HM Customs and the RCIPS detained three Jamaican Nationals on a canoe in Cayman Brac which is believed to be the vessel that fled on Thursday morning. The men, ages 33, 29, and 31, have been arrested on suspicion of a number of offences including Being Concerned in the Importation of Ganja into Grand Cayman on 25 January.