Search on for cocaine

SOUTHERN Division police swooped down yesterday on the sleepy fishing village of Grand Chemin, Moruga, following reports that a large quantity of cocaine, strongly believed to have originated from mainland Venezuela, washed ashore on the Moruga coastline on Monday afternoon.

However, the police  search yesterday, which included raids on several houses, a search of the sea, searches in fishing stalls and a general search of the beachfront, turned up no cocaine. Police sources told Newsday they received reliable information that a large waterproof bale, containing cellophane-wrapped one-kilo packets of cocaine washed ashore at Grand Chemin beach around 3 pm on Monday. However, none of the highly priced illegal narcotic was recovered by the police since it is believed that unknown persons got to the drugs first and divided it up amongst themselves. “After speaking to several villagers, we received information that minutes after the packet of cocaine washed ashore, a group of men tore open the waterproof exterior and divided the packets amongst themselves,” stated a senior officer. The officer added that he believed the cocaine, which washed ashore in Moruga on Monday, formed part of the same consignment of illegal drugs, packets of which also floated to shore in Manzanilla and Mayaro on the weekend.

Police have estimated the local street value of the drugs seized over the weekend to be over $10 million. In the wake of these drugs being washed ashore, the decomposing body of a man was found floating in the Ortoire river on Monday. Police believe this man was linked to the drugs. Leading the party of officers to Moruga yesterday was Head of Southern Division Snr Supt Desmond Lambert, who was accompanied by Supt (Crime) in charge of Southern Division, Supt Dyo Mohammed. Also involved in the search yesterday were members of the Southern Division Crime and Suppression Unit. Snr Supt Lambert told Newsday that police yesterday used a boat to search the seas off Grand Chemin for more packets of cocaine. The officers also searched coves and caves in and around the shoreline, but without success.