Marijuana-laden fishing vessel should have collected coconut oil, cocaine

Last Updated on Saturday, 26 December 2015, 21:01 by GxMedia

The Guyana-bound fishing vessel, Tiffany, which was intercepted during a joint British and American exercise in the Caribbean.

Sources said the Jamaica-registered MV Tiffany was officially expected to return to Jamaica with a shipment of coconut oil. At the same time, the cocaine would have been stashed in the vessel, according to sources.

The Royal Navy, with support from the United States, earlier this month intercepted the vessel that was carrying 1,800 kilograms of marijuana valued at US$14 million.
The boat, captain and crew, including one Guyanese, were escorted back to Jamaica where they were expected to be charged.

Part of the 15-nation Operation Matillo that aims to stop drugs moving from South America to the Caribbean, the Royal Navy’s RFA Wave Knight had deployed had hailed out to the MV Tiffany.

On doing so, several bales of marijuana were tossed overboard. While some sank, naval officers recovered 55 of them with a street value of US$10 million.

Anti-drug agents believe there is a thriving marijuana-cocaine trade between Jamaica and Guyana. Several consignments of each drug have been found in ships at Georgetown and Kingston, Jamaica.

United Kingdom Defense Secretary Philip Hammond praised the RFA vessel action saying that “The work of the Royal Navy across the globe, and in particular in the Caribbean, on counter-narcotics operations is vital to protecting us here at home”