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More than $500 million in drugs seized in 2025
July 24, 2025
Director of the Firearms and Narcotics Investigation Division (FNID) Acting Senior Superintendent of Police Patrae Rowe is reporting that more than $500 million worth of drugs has been intercepted so far this year.
This after members of the FNID's Special Operations Team arrested three men and seized more than 3,000 pounds of ganja in Toms River at the border of St Mary and St Andrew on July 18.
Charged are 50-year-old Heron Brown, a farmer of Burton district, St Elizabeth; 30-year-old Wade Richards, a vendor of Thompson Pen, St Catherine; and 28-year-old Delroy Wilson of St Margaret's Bay, Portland. They have been charged with: two counts each of possession of ganja, dealing in ganja, taking steps preparatory to export ganja, trafficking ganja; and also conspiracy to traffic ganja.
About 9 p.m. the team intercepted two motor vehicles in Toms River. One of the vehicles was occupied by Wilson and two Haitian nationals, while the other men occupied the other vehicle. A thorough search of the vehicles uncovered more than 350 parcels of ganja, with an estimated street value of $9.3 million. All five men were arrested where Brown, Richards and Wilson were subsequently charged. Charges are to be laid against the two Haitian nationals.
Since the start of the year, more than 40,000 pounds of ganja have been seized, valued at $121 million. Additionally, more than 1,700 pounds of cocaine, valued at more than $405 million have been intercepted. Rowe said that these large scale findings of illicit drugs have a direct correlation to the guns-for-drugs trade impacting the island.
"These drugs act as currency to arm criminals with weapons. The value of the drugs seized so far this year is more than $500 million. If not intercepted, this could have potentially placed more than 400 rifles or over 800 handguns into the hands of hardened criminals in Jamaica. That is why we have heightened vigilance and have enhanced our operations surrounding these drugs; they are traded for the weapons of choice in committing murders - firearms," he said.
