Air J plane detained in London after ganja find

AN AIR Jamaica aircraft was detained at London's Heathrow Airport in London on Thursday for a few hours, after ganja weighing five kilograms was found on board, The Gleaner has learnt.

Local narcotics agents confirmed that the drug was hidden in the aircraft's toilet but were unable to provide more details.

It could not be ascertained whether anyone had been arrested or the airline was penalised.

It is understood that the aircraft was detained for a brief period and later released.

Staff at Air Jamaica's head office in Kingston declined to comment on the drug find, but referred The Gleaner to Will Rodgers, senior vice president for industrial affairs. He however, could not be reached for comment.

Drug smugglers have frequently targeted the national airline to traffic illegal drugs. In August 1997 more than 300 kilograms of ganja was found on an Air Jamaica plane at Heathrow. The drug was hidden among spices packed in cardboard boxes.

The US authorities detained an Air Jamaica plane in Miami that same year after 20 pounds of ganja was found in a panel of the aircraft's cabin.

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