Officers pulling out marijuana plants in a field in East Grand Bahama last year.
By NICO SCAVELLA
Tribune Staff Reporter
nscavella@tribunemedia.net
POLICE marijuana seizures increased last year compared to 2013, however there was a decrease in the amount of cocaine seized during the same time period, according to the latest drug statistics.
The statistics, provided by Police Commissioner Ellison Greenslade during a review of 2014’s crime statistics at police headquarters, showed that police seized 20,602.80 pounds of marijuana last year – 2,998.01 more than the 17,604.79 pounds seized in 2013.
Conversely, the amount of cocaine seized dropped from 1,131.67 pounds in 2013 to 927.86 in 2014. There were also no seizures of liquid cocaine in contrast to the 7.59 pounds seized by police in 2013.
There was a sharp increase in the number of marijuana plants seized by police last year, with 290,336 plants seized as opposed to the 27,746 seized in 2013.
The majority of processed marijuana – 8,236.26 pounds – was confiscated in Grand Bahama. New Providence followed with 6,609.51 pounds seized, while the rest of the Family Islands collectively saw 5,757.03 pounds seized.
Grand Bahama had the highest number of seized marijuana plants, with 287,812 found in 2014. That number dwarfed 2014’s numbers for New Providence and the Family Islands, which stood at 20 and 2,504 respectively.
The statistics also revealed an increase in the amount of Ecstasy tablets seized in 2014 – 18,168 tablets were seized as opposed to 32 tablets seized in 2013.
Hashish seizures by police increased from zero in 2013 to 71.10 pounds last year. The same was true for Heroin seizures, which saw 3.40 pounds seized in 2014 as opposed to zero the year before.
According to the statistics, the majority of import seizures, excluding cocaine, occurred at the Lynden Pindling International Airport involving passengers “arriving on commercial airlines from South America.”
The statistics also explained that there were also “significant” drug seizures involving passengers seeking to enter the United States of America.
A total of 1,308 persons were arrested in reference to dangerous drugs.
Of that number, 1,205 were Bahamians; 1,037 males, 103 females, 60 juveniles males and five juvenile females. Americans had the next highest total, with 59 arrests made. Of that count, 49 were males and 10 were females.
Jamaican nationals accounted for 18 of the 1,308 drug arrests – 16 males and two females, while Haitians accounted for 17, with 14 males and three females.
The number of persons charged in connection with dangerous drugs – adult and juvenile – stands at 1,076 collectively for 2014.
Additionally, Operation Bahamas, Turks and Caicos Islands, a combined US Coast Guard, Drug Enforcement Agency and Bahamas government partnership to combat drug smuggling to and from the Bahamas saw noteworthy results as well.
A total of 13,883.50 pounds of marijuana were interdicted in the region, along with 290,300 marijuana plants. The number of persons arrested in connection with those seizures were 28 and five, respectively.
Officials also seized 701.40 pounds of cocaine, 67.50 pounds of Hashish oil, and two pounds of Heroin through OPBAT. The number of persons arrested in connection with those seizures were three, six, and zero, respectively.
“The Drug Enforcement Unit was committed to targeting national and international traffickers and led many successful missions by engaging the experience and capability of OPBAT,” Mr Greenslade said after disseminating the stats yesterday. “Additionally, significant attention was also placed on providing DEU presence in residential communities; where many drug peddlers were arrested and their illicit operations disrupted and discouraged.
“During 2014, the collective focus, commitment and determination of officers of the DEU contributed to suppressing illicit activities occurring in communities of the Bahamas.”
The statistics also showed that officials also seized $4,322,366.61 worth of proceeds derived from criminal conduct; $340,963.62 in New Providence and $146,437.30 in Grand Bahama.
• Breakdown of police crime statistics
- see pages 6&7
Comments
TalRussell 9 years, 2 months ago
Comrades hopefully while the PLP cabinet couldn't recognize the wisdom establishing a National Lottery, over 'regularizing' numbers rackets, maybe they will be smart this time, when it comes to the 'legalization' allowing for the sale and growing of marijuana from store fronts.
John 9 years, 2 months ago
After becoming legal in the state of Washington there is an abundance of supply of the drug in that state. The supply is like 5 times what is being sold legally and even though the price is half what it was when marijuana was illegal the demand is still falling. Bottom line. People don't want to smoke weed once it becomes legal.
TalRussell 9 years, 2 months ago
Comrade John I hope you will show up at the "People's Speakers Corner" to voice your own opinions, this Sunday afternoon, rain or shine, promptly at 3 pm in Rawson Square. This is 'NOT' an organized event. Simply a corner where citizens and our residents can as 'individuals' come out on a Sunday afternoon starting at 3 pm, to express themselves in a peaceful 'non- organizational' way. Maybe no more than to just have a face to face Sunday after church chat, with another attendee. Politicians, organizations and trouble makers, are definitely NOT welcomed. Hopefully, we can get 20 Tribune bloggers make firm Sunday 3 pm commitment to show up.
asiseeit 9 years, 2 months ago
Just as gays in the U.S. are able to wed, Marijuana will be legal in the U.S in the next decade. Meanwhile the Bahamas will still be sending young men up to Fox Hill and ruining their lives for a joint. The "drug war" has not worked and will not work, lets face facts. It would be better to legalize it, tax it, and regulate it, just like the web shops. People have been using Marijuana from before Jesus walked the earth, you think some misplaced law will ever stop that?
TalRussell 9 years, 2 months ago
Comrade the most effective and progressive action plan for the Commish of Policeman's to curtail weekend crime, would be to have his policeman's stock up their patrol cars trunks, to hand out free joints marijuana for personal use every Friday and Saturday night. in fact they wouldn't even need carry loaded guns cars.
John 9 years, 2 months ago
I am not sure that I totally agree for marijuana becoming legal in the Bahamas at least not yet. What America realized was that besides having a drug (abuse) problem, it was also faced with the problem of narco drug money being used to fund gangs both in the US and abroad Mexico, Colombia Jamaica) and money possibly being used to fund terrorist activities. So by legalizing weed the drug became more available and less expensive and so much of the funds leaving the country or going to gangs has dried up. Not only that but reports are that marijuana usuage in some states is down. But in Nebraska the results of residents being able to legally grow 3 marijuana plants per person has not been good. Ordinary residents of the state have imported persons (friends lovers family) to the state do they can increase the number of plants they can grow. This has caused a deterioration in the social life as many residents who did not want to be a part of the marijuana culture have put their houses up for sale and left. This too led to an even bigger problem as the state is now full of strangers, tax revenues are down and property value is falling because of the number of empty houses
Emac 9 years, 2 months ago
Stop wasting time and using precious resources on marijuana and direct all your attention to crime such as murders and armed robbery in the Bahamas.
bismark 9 years, 2 months ago
well there you have it,you reap what you sow,this is all resulting of the evil drug trade back in the eighties where drug money ran the Bahamas and everybody had their heads in the sand,the average young man in the Bahamas does not want to work,Family islands are full of lousy young men who are just waiting on a chance to find something floating or they jus t grow it themselves,drug sentences should have been increased years ago,but due to some ELITES being involved in it themselves nothing has never changed,this nation isn't for sale any more,it was bought years ago.
BahamaPundit 9 years, 2 months ago
Let's get this clear right now. Stop attacking marijuana growers! Marijuana is a legal drug in the US, and it's about time The Bahamas got on board before the ship sails. Spend your efforts attacking real criminals, not botanists. We want our weed! Leave it alone. We also want our strip clubs, leave them alone too.
chairarranger 9 years, 2 months ago
Puff the Magic Dragon lived by the sea.
ThisIsOurs 9 years, 2 months ago
Heroin was once a legalized recreational drug too.
According to Dr. Scott Bentz in an interview with CBS Denver, edible marijuana can be easily overdosed. “I think with edibles, we are in a bit of a danger zone. Effects of edible marijuana are not as predictable as the inhaled marijuana,” the doctor explained to the news station. Benz claimed to see a number of patients each week who have overdosed from marijuana in its edible form. They suffer from symptoms of marijuana intoxication such as shortness of breath and, anxiety, panic, and hallucinations. “We haven’t fully explored the symptoms of edible marijuana. It’s not typical for marijuana to affect impulse control, but the research is mostly on smoked marijuana, not eaten,” Bentz concluded.
Another risk not fully explored with edible marijuana is its increased chances of causing addiction. “The clearest risk would probably be developing dependence on the drug, meaning that people would find it hard to stop if they chose to do so,” Wayne Hall, an addiction researcher at the University of Queensland told Live Science. This is because THC takes longer to reach the brain when the chemical is absorbed through the stomach and intestines, as opposed to the lungs. This may make it difficult to control your dosage when eating marijuana. Many users take more than they intend to as they wait to feel an effect. Those who are not experienced marijuana users may feel negative side effects. Hall believes that more use of edibles may increase unpleasant experiences with THC.
http://www.medicaldaily.com/marijuana...">http://www.medicaldaily.com/marijuana...
TalRussell 9 years, 2 months ago
Comrade you are definitely not a pot user or been around any baking they 'not ya grandma's brownies. Point tribune readers to one, just one, death that been confirmed as fatal case of marijuana overdose (marijuana overdose being the primary cause of death, not relating to a mix of drugs or a prior medical condition), a person can most definitely produce very unpleasant and potentially serious side effects to the drug when consuming very high quantities of THC at a time. So, can your doctors prescription cause you to overdose, if abused or you have an allegoric reaction to it. Yes, like most drugs, it is very possible but of when eating THC laced content (i.e brownies, cookies), rather than smoking it (you only get 10-15% of available THC when you smoke a blunt). I would be more concerned with our medical doctors over mediating their patients than munching on ya marijuana laced brownies. In my case, I like take me after brownie nap.
Sign in to comment
Or login with:
OpenID