St Andrew electrician charged after $30m cocaine and ganja bust at Norbrook complex

KINGSTON, Jamaica — A St Andrew electrician has been charged with a series of ganja-related offences after coordinated police operations between Thursday, April 23 and Saturday, April 25 turned up more than J$30 million worth of narcotics and assets in St Andrew and at the Norman Manley International Airport (NMIA).

Dwayne Barnett, of Norbrook Crescent, has been formally charged with possession of ganja, dealing in ganja, and using premises for the storage of ganja, the police say. A second man was also charged in connection with the wider probe.

Investigators report that around 3:00 pm on Thursday, April 23, the Special Response Unit attached to the Financial and Narcotics Investigation Division (FNID) executed a search warrant at a residential complex. The search turned up 55 parcels of cocaine with a combined weight of roughly 60.2 kilogrammes — just over 130 pounds.

A follow-up search at Barnett's home yielded another five pounds of ganja, according to the police account.

Beyond the narcotics, lawmen confiscated more than J$1 million and over US$1,000 from one of the suspects, alongside four high-end motor vehicles. A 9mm Glock pistol, two magazines and 34 rounds of ammunition were also taken from a licensed firearm holder who was on the premises during the operation.

Other persons questioned at the scene, among them a Dominican Republic national, were interviewed and subsequently released. Detectives say enquiries into the origin and intended destination of the seized cocaine remain active.

Barnett is slated to appear in the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court on Wednesday, May 27.