National

Are Cocaine Seizures Up This Year?

NASSAU, BAHAMAS – Large-scale cocaine busts seem to be on the rise this year, as police seized over $10 million worth of cocaine from a plane in Mayaguana on Saturday.

Published

1 year ago

July 11, 2023

Jameelha Missick

NASSAU, BAHAMAS – Large-scale cocaine busts seem to be on the rise this year, as police seized over $10 million worth of cocaine from a plane in Mayaguana on Saturday.

That bust saw 520 kilos in 18 crocus sack bags, weighing 1,304 pounds.

This is the second drug bust on a Family Island in the last few weeks. The most recent was a $9 million cocaine bust in long island that landed three Mexicans and one Bahamian in custody.

The drugs amounted to 1,120 pounds.

Meanwhile, back in February, three people were arrested in Bimini found in possession of 96 kilos of cocaine with a street value of $1 million.

And in January of this year, police arrested a 65-year-old man in Inagua, after they found five kilos of suspected cocaine valued at $1,000 on a mailboat, at an estimated 11.25 pounds.

Last year saw police confiscate 1,137.10 of cocaine, compared to bigger busts in 2021 where DEU officers seized four thousand, 672.96 pounds of cocaine, the largest bust in recent years.

That number climbed drastically from the 165.21 pounds found in 2020.

2019 was the lowest recorded year for cocaine busts in the past five years with only 36.58 pounds confiscated that year 67 people were arrested – 41 for possession of cocaine and 26 for possession with intent to supply.