The Tribune

By DENISE MAYCOCK 

Tribune Freeport Reporter 

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

NEARLY $10 million worth of cocaine has been seized in a New Year’s Day drug bust at the container port in Grand Bahama.

As a result of a joint operation, Bahamian and US law enforcement officials uncovered 498 kilos of suspected cocaine — worth an estimated $9.96 million — concealed in duffle bags inside a 40ft container at the Freeport Container Port.

The illicit haul, weighing a staggering 1,277 pounds, was revealed during a press conference on Thursday at Police Headquarters in Freeport, where several dark-coloured duffle bags packed with taped packages of cocaine were laid out on a table and the floor.

Chief Superintendent Michael Thurston, head of the Drug Enforcement Unit (DEU), said based on intelligence, officers from the DEU, Bahamas Customs Department, and US Drug Enforcement Agency went to the port.

According to initial police reports, some- time around 1.30pm, law enforcement officials searched a red 40ft container where the suspected drugs were found.

Speaking at the press conference, Chief Supt Thurston described the bust as a “significant seizure,” emphasising that the cocaine was intercepted before it could get on the streets.

“This is a significant seizure, and the value of the cocaine is just under $10m,” he said. “We are in the early stages of this investigation, and I would like to thank our partners in law enforcement, Bahamas Customs and the US Drug Enforcement Agency, as we continue to protect our borders from this kind of illegal activity.”

Despite the success, no arrests have been made, and police remain tightlipped about the shipment’s origin, saying that it came from a foreign destination.

Chief Supt Thurston explained that the drugs will be transported to New Providence for safekeeping at a secure facility. He stressed the importance of stopping illegal drugs at ports of entry to prevent them from reaching the public or being smuggled abroad.

“This is very significant,” he said. “You can imagine if this hits the streets. When you can get it at the port of entry before it trickles down to the public or is smuggled into the US, it becomes a major problem and is more difficult to detect. So, this is very significant in my estimation.”

He added that intelligence is key to such discoveries, particularly at large ports like Freeport. A big port such as this, we need intelligence sometimes.”

Superintendent Katrina McPhee of the Bahamas Customs Department said that collaboration between various law enforcement agencies resulted in a successful operation, calling it a proud moment for law enforcement officials.

“This is a very proud moment for us, and we intend to continue our efforts to keep the ports safe, thereby keeping the Bahamas safe, and fulfilling our role in conjunction with other countries such as the US ” she said.