$12M cocaine bust off St. Vincent: Grenadian and Venezuelan arrested

Authorities intercepted a vessel carrying 396 kilos of cocaine off St. Vincent's Leeward coast on April 20. Two suspects are in custody.

396 kilos of cocaine seized off Leeward coast, two suspects held

Authorities in St. Vincent seized 396 kilos of cocaine from a vessel intercepted off the island's Leeward coast on Monday, April 20, stvincenttimes.com reports. The shipment carries an estimated street value of $12 million.

Police took two individuals into custody following the interception. The suspects — identified as a Grenadian national and a Venezuelan national — are currently being questioned as investigators work to determine the full extent of the trafficking network involved.

Minister of National Security St. Clair Leacock officially confirmed the details of the seizure during a parliamentary session on Tuesday evening. His statement corroborated earlier reporting by stvincenttimes.com on the scale of the haul.

Leacock said he had been briefed on the operation early Tuesday morning and immediately moved to strengthen the country's security posture. Citing concerns that the implications of such a large seizure could present challenges "bigger than what we can take care of" through local resources alone, the Minister instructed the Commissioner of Police to notify the Regional Security System (RSS). The RSS has been placed on alert and standby to support local law enforcement if necessary.

Leacock emphasized that the decision to involve regional partners was a strategic move to ensure citizen safety was "enhanced and secured at all times," and not a reflection on the capabilities of local police.

The Minister also used Tuesday's session to call for the modernization of what he described as a "ramshackle security apparatus," arguing that new legislation is vital to equip law enforcement with the technological and legal tools needed to combat evolving criminal threats.

Reaffirming the government's position on crime, Leacock pledged to refine any necessary regulations to protect the nation, stating his current philosophy is to "speak a little less and do a little bit more" in demonstrating commitment to national security.

Source: Google News VC — Crime