AG says big drug bust justifies State of Emergency

Attorney General Anand Ramlogan told reporters Friday the discovery of a container-load of marijuana at Point Lisas on Thursday justifies the need for a state of emergency in Trinidad and Tobago.

The 40-foot container arrived at the port from Jamaica. It's the third such drug haul for this year. In all cases, the container with the drugs passed through Jamaica.

The Customs and Excise Division issed a media release Friday stating that its officers found almost one tonne of compressed marijuana in the container.

The release added that the customs documents stated that the container was stacked with chicken parts. However when it was unstuffed officials discovered the marijuana in 38 crocus bags.

The officials estimate that the street value of the ganja would be about $7.4 million. No one has been arrested yet in connection with the big bust.

On Friday the Poultry Association of Trinidad and Tobago issued a media release stating that it has long suspected that the importation of chicken was used as a cover for money laundering and illegal drug importation.

The Association said it noted "with great consternation" the news that millions of dollars worth of illegal drugs were found in containers of imported chicken at the Pint Lisas Port.

It said, "The illicit drug business of Poultry Importers has long affected the competitiveness of the legitimate Poultry Industry in Trinidad and Tobago."

The Association added that it looks forward to "swift action by authorities" to put a stop to this practice "and to bring unscrupulous importers, who are intent on breaking the country's laws, to justice."