Glenroy Sinclair, Assignment Coordinator

Wilson

Four months ago when narcotics detectives swooped down on the upscale community of Smokey Vale, St Andrew, where they found over 5,000 pounds of compressed ganja at a house on Aires Avenue, neighbours were stunned. They had no idea that illegal drugs were being stashed away in their posh neighbourhood.

"Most times when we find narcotics drugs in these upscale communities the immediate reaction of the neighbours is usually one of surprise. We suspect that because these activities normally take place at nights, residents never get a chance to make any observation of what is happening," says Senior Super-intendent Carlton Wilson, head of the Narcotics Division.

It was the same situation a year ago when the police removed over 15,000 pounds of compressed ganja from three tinted minibuses which had been parked for several days at an apartment complex in the Mountain View Avenue area of St Andrew.

"The neighbours were shocked. Nobody knew what was inside the buses," the head of the Narcotics Division, tells The Sunday Gleaner.

Wilson stressed the importance of residents in all areas, particularly upscale communities, where dons and drug dealers like to set up their base, banding together and protecting themselves, as well as the integrity of their community.

"They need to be on the lookout for strangers in their community, especially those driving posh vehicles. They must be on the alert and try and find out what is happening around them," the officer says.

child sellers

He also points to cases where children who should be in school are being used to sell drugs.

"A few days ago, some of my detectives went undercover to purchase some drugs in a downtown Kingston community and a seven year-old boy, who should be in school at the time, sold the policeman the drugs," SSP Wilson reveals.

According to the senior officer, rural communities such as Slipe, Bull Savannah and Coca in St Elizabeth, and New Roads and Cornwall Mountains in Westmoreland, are traditional areas known for ganja cultivation.

Reports are that the ganja is being grown in the swampy areas of these parishes.

"One of the difficulties we are having is that we are not equipped enough to destroy the ganja in the swampy areas, we have to rely on the assistance of the Jamaica Defence Force, explains Mr Wilson.

Commending The Sunday Gleaner on its 'Do you know your neighbour?' series, the Rev Al Miller noted that in a community where narcotics were openly being sold, innocent unsuspecting children were left exposed to danger.

"Innocent children can become entrapped and addicted, especially to hard drugs," he notes.