In a major crackdown on illegal drug trafficking, the Royal Police Force of Antigua and Barbuda has announced the seizure of cocaine with an estimated street value exceeding one million Eastern Caribbean dollars, recovered in two separate finds along Barbuda’s coastline. The operation, which unfolded between August 2 and 3, marks a significant win for local law enforcement in disrupting cross-border smuggling activity in the Eastern Caribbean.
The first discovery was made on August 2, when officers patrolling the area near the Coco Point dock located a sealed package holding 20 vacuum-wrapped parcels. Field testing preliminary identified the white substance inside as cocaine. The following day, a second matching package, also containing 20 vacuum-sealed parcels of the suspected narcotic, was found along the shoreline of Coco Point Beach.
Combined, the two hauls of the controlled substance total 104 pounds, with authorities valuing the street price at EC$1,084,910.00. According to an official media release issued by the force’s Office of Strategic Communications (STRATCOM) on August 4 from the capital St. John’s, law enforcement has launched a full-scale probe into the incident. Investigators are currently following every available lead to trace the origin of the cocaine and bring all individuals involved in the smuggling operation to justice.