* Not the actual cocaine seized by the police.
The Royal Saint Lucia Police Force (RSLPF) said illicit narcotics remains a problem in Saint Lucia.
Acting Police Corporal of the Crime Intelligence Unit (CIU) Delvin Mathurin said 2015 saw a slight increase in drug related offenses when compared to 2014, but detection increased by five percent.
“Reduction in reported cases may be attributed to increased use of Intelligence Led Policing as a proactive crime fighting strategy. 172 cases were detected and 190 cases accepted,” Mathurin added.
The analysis of three year period highlighted fluctuations in the number of selected drug offences.
He said: “Cannabis possession continues to the narcotic that records the highest number of reports. However, the volume of cocaine seized continues to outstrip cannabis and other drugs.”
The CIU official said despite the challenges the Force has stepped up operations in response to drugs and has been aggressive in intercepting drugs on the streets of Saint Lucia.
“As the United States continue to tighten up their borders in the South American and Central America zones we realize that more drugs are beginning to come through the region,” he explained.
As such, Mathurin said the Force have changed its approach in starting to interdict huge sums of drugs, explaining that the quantity of the drugs especially cocaine intercepted would have increased.
Detection for these drug related cases have also seen a 91 percent increase.
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