The Tribune

By DANA SMITH

Tribune Staff Reporter

dsmith@tribunemedia.net

AUTHORITIES are praising yet another “major” drug bust with the early morning discovery of more than $2 million worth of marijuana in Exuma.

Although stressing that it is still too early to tell, Drug Enforcement Unit commander, Supt Samuel Butler said “there could be possibilities” the drug find is part of a much larger operation.

The drugs were flown into Odyssey airport in New Providence on a United States Coast Guard helicopter after being found in Farmer’s Cay by local police who were “acting on intelligence”. The drugs have an estimated weight of 2,300lbs and an estimated street value of $2.3 million.

“We want to let the public know that we are serious about carrying out the mandate of the Commissioner of Police so that we can prevent drug trafficking, drug peddling on our streets,” Supt Butler said.

“When we actually look at a major seizure of this, we always think in terms of the prevention of these types of drugs reaching our streets, reaching the local populace of the Bahamas and destroying some young boy, some young girl – so that really makes us happy to know that our work is not in vain.”

The DEU will continue the effort to fight drug trafficking, Supt Butler said, thanking the “committed” officers for their work and also the public.

“We also like to say thanks for the general public who always continually provide pertinent information to us,” he said. “We would not be able to do this alone, but because of our partnership with the wider community, law enforcement agencies, we continue to be successful.”

Supt Butler noted this drug seizure comes on the heels of several drug busts, most recently – the discovery of a huge marijuana field found at the rear of Dignity Gardens in New Providence, thought to contain $500,000 worth of drugs.

When asked if he thought there could be any connection between this find and any of the previous incidents, he said: “It’s early in our investigation – there could be possibilities – but it’s too early for us to speak to it.”

And confirming police have four Bahamian men in custody in connection with the incident, Supt Butler said police will have to wait for necessary interviews before it can be determined if the men are in any way part of a larger organisation.

“But we know from intelligence,” Supt Butler said, “there is a network of Bahamians who are working together, sharing their resources, so we still wait to unveil what they were doing at this particular location.”

He again noted that it is “too early to say” if the find is related to any other drug matters.

The men in question were flown into New Providence yesterday afternoon. Police are “optimistic” the men could be charged before the courts as early as next week, Supt Butler said, but added the men are still suspects at this time and will be given a “fair opportunity” to be interviewed by authorities.