DRUGS-FOR-GUNS TRADE SLOWS DOWN

The flourishing drugs-for-guns trade between Jamaica and Haiti
appears to have taken a lull in the aftermath of Haiti's catastrophic
7.0-magnitude earthquake on January 12.

The temblor caused extensive damage in the Haitian capital
Port-au-Prince, killing more than 200,000 persons and displacing
about a million.

However, law-enforcement officials, who have been feverishly working
to identify other sources of the arms trade, have observed that the
Haitian drugs-for-guns trade is already starting to show signs of
recovery to pre-January 12 levels.

Acting Deputy Commissioner of Police Glenmore Hinds, who is in charge
of operations, told The Gleaner that an assessment showed that some
persons involved in the trade had continued to make runs between
Jamaica and Haiti.

"Some of these persons are resilient and they always find a way to
conduct business," said Hinds.

"There's a market, and like any other tragedy, there will be a period
of introspection, but based on all the assessments, they'll be right
back to the business."

Hinds also noted that persons involved in illegal weapons imports
continued to use traditional strategies such as containerised
break-bulk cargo, adding that interventions at several points had
brought about a reduction in that area.

Most of these weapon shipments predominantly come from the US.

guns are air-freighted

There have also been instances where guns are air-freighted to
Jamaica via the island's international airports, though some weapons
are also believed to have found their way into the island on planes
landing at private airstrips on marijuana missions.

In January, 12 illegal guns and more than 700 rounds of ammunition
were seized at Port Bustamante, resulting in the arrest of a man who
had gone to collect the shipment, as well as two women from Portmore,
St Catherine, who were also taken into custody.

The illegal shipment, which originated from a Jamaican connection in
New York, is alleged to have been destined for one of the two leading
gangs in St Catherine.

St Catherine has been fingered as a major player in the
guns-for-drugs trade, particularly areas like Hellshire and Old
Harbour Bay, where law enforcement officials, in an effort to dent
the trade, have made several drug seizures, and arrested locals and
illegal Haitians.

Since the start of this year, teams from the Transnational Crime and
Narcotics Division and the marine police have stepped up activity
along the St Catherine coastline in attempts to stave off the illegal trade.

special attention

Close attention has also been given to the coastline in the vicinity
of St Elizabeth, where illicit activities involving guns and drugs
occur regularly.

However, inadequate resources have hindered law-enforcement officials
from effectively monitoring the island's coastline for illegal activities.

A shortage of functional patrol vessels has hampered the Jamaica
Defence Force Coastguard's ability to maintain a strong patrol
presence along the island's coastline, a well-known vulnerability
which criminal elements have taken advantage of.

A source told The Sunday Gleaner that the Police High Command is to
make an announcement shortly regarding measures to combat illegal
operations linked to the drugs-for-guns trade.

Between January and mid-May this year, the police recovered a total
of 249 guns and 13,092 rounds of ammunition, compared with 260 guns
and 2,471 rounds of ammunition for the corresponding period last year.