29 June 2017
Antigua: Police destroy over $78 m in drugs
By Antigua Observer
Close to $78 million worth of illegal drugs – cannabis and cocaine – went up in flames yesterday as the police, in conjunction with the Office of National Drug and Money Laundering Control Policy (ONDCP), conducted a routine destruction at the Burma Quarry dump site.
Before being burnt, the illegal substances were stored at the St John’s Magistrates Court, the High Court, ONDCP and the Police Headquarters, after being seized by the law enforcement agencies from various raids throughout the the twin island state.
According to Police Public Relations Officer (PRO), Inspector Frankie Thomas $3,547,508 worth of cocaine; $15,318,520 worth of cannabis as well as $33,000 worth of hashish were collected by the ONDCP.
Thomas said, the street value of drugs collected from the police, including that of cocaine and cannabis was $77,483,495.94
A total $18,230.94 worth of cocaine and $387,737 worth of cannabis and one ecstasy tablet valued at $50 collected from the court were destroyed in the blaze.
An armed police convoy, with blaring sirens, transported the controlled substances from the court to the location where it was prepared with accelerant and set on fire in the presence of officers from the relevant agencies and officials from the court.
He also told reporters who were onsite that some of the cases, in which the drugs were involved, were solved while no arrest was made in some of the matters.
The last occasion of such destruction was done sometime last year according to the police.
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