The Tribune

By RICARDO WELLS

Tribune Staff Reporter

rwells@tribunemedia.net

POLICE have taken two men into custody in connection with the seizure of $1.4m worth of marijuana following an early morning operation in the quiet community of Pikkano Properties, off Tonique Williams Highway.

According to a preliminary report provided by head of the Drug Enforcement Unit (DEU) Superintendent Samuel Butler, DEU officers, acting on intelligence, went to a rental property at the rear of the community around 9.15am yesterday where two Bahamian males were discovered with 1,389 pounds of marijuana at various stages of packaging.

The men, aged 41 and 34, are said to be known to police and are assisting officers with their investigations.

The haul of marijuana was housed in a small efficiency attached to the three-storey rental property, which had been completely transformed into a drug processing facility with different sections of the structure representing specialised production areas.

The entrance area was divided into sections for package sealing and separation. The bathroom and bedroom spaces were converted into an offloading area.

Bales of marijuana could be seen stacked in sacks on one side and on the other, smaller containers of marijuana were being prepared for packaging.

“This represents the efforts of the Drug Enforcement Unit as we are celebrating this month, holding the observance of International Day of Drug Abuse and Drug Trafficking, again it marks a certain great dent in our efforts of moving drugs from the street (and) moving the availability of drugs from our communities,” Supt Butler said.

“What is unique here, you were able to observe the processing of these drugs in terms of bringing it down ready for street distribution and I am sure, what you have observed already you would recognise the impact this could have on our streets,” he added.

Of the two men taken into custody, neither was identified as the owner of the property.

Sources have suggested that the owner has been away from the property for a period of time but does live there.

Some neighbours described the scene yesterday as “surprising.”

One resident expressed shocked as he noted that the presence of the police caught many in the community off guard.

“We had no clue what was going on. We woke up this morning to dozens of officers throughout the community. This sort of stuff never happens around here. We have one or two break-ins every once and a while, but this, never,” the resident told The Tribune.

DEU officials credited yesterday’s interdiction to savvy policing and intelligence.

Supt Butler also said police could not net these types of seizures without the help of the public.

He said: “The police will always, again, endeavour to leave no stones unturned when we are running such an investigation. Every available person that is able to aid the police will be called upon, whether it is in this community or outside this community.

“The RBPF always welcomed persons talking to us and we assure that our conversations are always held in the greatest regard of confidence and so you can feel free to reach out to the DEU and share as you may have seen any activities.”

The investigation continues.