Cocaine
A 37-year-old fisherman from La Clery has been charged in the largest drug bust conducted here in recent memory.
Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), Frances Henry, fresh off vacation, convened a press conference to release information.
The ACP, with direct responsibility for Crime and Intelligence, told the media that the operation, which involved officers from various units within the police force and support from the air wing of the RSS, was well coordinated.
Henry said a fishing vessel was spotted and followed as it entered the waters along Pigeon Island. The vessel was ordered to stop but the occupants opened fire on the marine police, who returned fire.
The vessel then ran aground on the Marisule Beach and two men ran off the boat.
Police eventually apprehend one of the two men who fled from the fishing vessel and returned him to the scene at Walcott Beach. There, police retrieved eight packages with 189 rectangular blocks of white substance believed to be cocaine. The combined weight was 214 kilos.
The vessel ironically bore the name, Usual Suspect, with registration number SLO77801. Police arrested the captain, 37-year-old Lloyd Jn. Marie, a fisherman from La Clery.
ACP Henry told the media that the police did not release the information much earlier because they were still conducting investigations.