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It wasn't fish, lobster, or coke that washed up on the Hellshire coast last Thursday, it was chicken - whole parcels of it.

The content from the mystery container sparked both wonder and concern, and now, days later, Hellshire residents are still feasting, defiant in the face of government warnings that the meat could be dangerous. To them, it's a blessing from the sea. Roughly 30 minutes away from Hellshire Beach in St Catherine, THE STAR team found a quiet stretch where the salty breeze was overpowered by a stink -- the sharp smell of meat gone bad. A large shipping container sat lodged on a rock like a trophy. Its steel doors hung crookedly open, beaten by waves and salt. Vultures circled above, as if guarding the find. Scattered nearby were bits of chicken and a brown paper bag with red writing that, from a distance, could easily be mistaken for a popular fast food chain's packaging.

Residents, many of whom said they've lived in the area for more than 25 years, were more than willing to talk. Some were still eating the chicken, others were packaging it, sharing it, and even storing it for later. Amid the buzz of disbelief and casual merriment, residents had plenty to say. One weathered fisherman, whose lifetime by the sea gives him a sceptical yet resilient edge, recalled, "I was right here on the beach when mi see the container dem drop off."

"Mi never know one woulda wash up wid chicken. The amount mi get fi share out. Six parcel mi carry inna mi [Nissan] Lafesta," he said. Each box, he explained, had six parcels inside.

"Pure breast and wing," he specified. Another resident, who goes by 'Bird', was seen licking his fingers from a just-finished meal of fried chicken breast.

"Dem chicken yah organic, enuh," he told THE STAR. "Dem eat grass. Mi study bout dem. Mi nuh know how dem a come frighten people 'bout don't eat it."

Last Saturday, the Ministry of Health and Wellness warned the public to stay far from the chicken. The authorities explained that the container labelled Perdix originated in Brazil and was headed for the Cayman Islands when it fell into the sea. It was not approved for Jamaica, had not been stored properly, and may have been exposed to harmful bacteria like salmonella or diseases like bird flu.

In Hellshire, that warning was met with humour and the sound of grills being lit.

"From the same evening it come up, we start eat it," said one elderly resident. "Friday, Saturday, Sunday and mi Sunday, Monday. Anybody weh eat the chicken nuh dead yet."

In a televised statement, Health Minister Dr Christopher Tufton urged citizens to report anyone selling or distributing the meat and to immediately stop eating any chicken collected from the shore.

The resident then admitted, "The only time mi start fret was when mi see the man come pan TV and say we nuffi eat it."

But in Hellshire, enforcement seems murky. Several residents claimed health inspectors were on site and even said the meat was "good for consumption".

"Dem come dung deh, inspect it, and say it good," said Bird. "Is the fisherman dem spread the news. And when mi reach, mi see everybody a tek up. Who nuh tek up, a gwaan tek up and gwaan."

When asked why they didn't sell the chicken for profit, he replied, "Mi rather share it with people than sell it. A so mi stay. Everybody affi eat."

Residents had mixed feelings about the meat's quality, but most agreed that the chicken wing was the best part.

"Mi love how dem chicken yah nuh big like duck," one joked. "And mi nah tell lie, them cleaner than the chicken mi buy a shop!"

Despite what the ministry calls a serious threat to public health, Hellshire locals are not backing down. They're grilling chicken into the early hours, with visitors coming in from Spanish Town, downtown Kingston, and beyond just to get chicken.

THE STAR tried reaching out to the Marine police, but a representative said "I can't tell you anything about it. All I know is it wash up and it deh all over social media."