Weekend arrests start with drug bust

| 01/06/2009

(CNS): The Royal Cayman Islands Police Service (RCIPS) have arrested 21 people this weekend for various offences from drug possession to attempted burglary. The arrest spree started on Thursday 28 May when Officers from the Drugs Task Force (DTF) and West Bay Uniform carried out two operations which resulted in the arrest of two men and the seizure of 15 pounds of ganja. “We know residents are concerned about drug use in West Bay and we will continue to target those involved in the use and supply of illegal substances,” said Chief Inspector Angelique Howell.

The first drug search was carried out at address in the Watercourse Road area and resulted in a 30-year-old man being arrested and 14 pounds of ganja being seized. A second search of a property in the Miss Daisy Lane area led to the arrest of a 36-year-old man and the seizure of around 1 pound of ganja.

Between Thursday night and Friday morning (28/29 May) two men were arrested on suspicion of possession of ganja and consumption of a controlled drug and a third man was arrested on suspicion of possession of ganja, consumption of a controlled drug, burglary and taking a vehicle without the owners consent.

Then on Friday night into Saturday morning (29/30May), one man was arrested on suspicion of possession of crack cocaine and consumption of a controlled drug and one woman and two men were arrested on suspicion of consuming a controlled drug.

Howell said that those involved in drugs should prepare to be caught if they have not been caught already. “We will continue to target those involved in drugs and thank the community for supporting us in our efforts,” she said, adding that anyone with information about the use and supply of drugs can talk to an officer or call Crime Stoppers to pass on their information anonymously.

Meanwhile in the eastern districts police arrested a 15-year old boy on suspicion of burglary; a 54-year-old man on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol; a 26-year-old man on suspicion of consuming a controlled drug and a 21-year-old man on suspicion of theft.

Then in George Town a 39-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of damage to property, a 45 and a 48-year-old man for driving under the influence of alcohol; a 19-year-old man on suspicion of attempted burglary and a 21-year-old man on suspicion of assault actual bodily harm, damage to property, assaulting police and disorderly conduct. Another 19 year old man was arrested on suspicion of burglary and a 20-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of possession and consumption of ganja.  A 29-year-old man was also arrested on suspicion of assaulting police and disorderly conduct.

On Cayman Bra c officers there arrested a 27-year-old man on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol after a pedestrian was knocked by a car and sustained injuries to his arm.

Anyone with information about crime taking place in the Cayman Islands should contact their local police station or Crime Stoppers on 800-8477 (TIPS). All persons calling Crime Stoppers remain anonymous, and are eligible for a reward of up to $1000, should their information lead to an arrest or recovery of property/drugs.

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  1. Anon says:

    "Like an honorary caymanian I used to blame the system or the immigrants or whatever for holding me back and not getting promotions etc at work but I understand now that it was me that was holding myself back. I’d become lazy and idle because I’d been out late the nght before and all I was thinking of was the smoke when I got home."

    So weed  made you blame the system and immigrants, wow. No I’m sorry this was just you and your ways. There’s good and bad in all of us and those of us who are blinded and weak or easily influcenced fall in this frame of thinking. Most of us know better and would have said, "man I really need to cut this out cause its affecting my livelyhood", not blame "Pat from Toronto".

    I’m not saying you cant abuse it, it’s all about moderation. I’m not saying weed is bad or good, cause we do know of illegal genetically cultivated ganja that has been proven cause harm cause of the high THC levels. However, there are also other places that are allowed to grow in an natural or natural like environment that have been proven to be fine and way better than the illegal street quality. I think they also mentioned that it’s the illegal cultivated ganja that has shown to be the type which leads people to do harder drugs for the fact the user doesn’t get the natural "high" and that most cases the drug is seasoned or mixed with harder drugs. History Channel has a good show called Hooked. It’s re-airing June 11th, catch the rerun:)

    http://www.history.com/shows.do?action=detail&episodeId=303144

     

  2. Anon says:

    Expat24,372, please dont start this caymanian vs. expat converstation on of all things ganja. Like expats dont smoke it…Please. If you know how many times I’ve encountered "happy" expats partying it up on West Bay Road, happy to mingle with the locals and once they hear you’re a Caymanian or local the first question is "So where can I get the good stuff from?" So please don’t make this a Cayman/Expat issue, I can assure you that I’ve seen many a "Unity" of Expat and Caymanian on weekend nights through this happy medium:)

  3. Barely Legal says:

    If we legalized ganja it would free up police time and resources to protect us from the other crimes going on here like the stabbings, the dangerous drivers and the problems caused by hard drugs.

  4. Anonymous says:

    I think some of you guys need to do a little real research before spouting trash on here. Young caymanian needs to stomp out his joint and get back to reality. reality is that the main effects of ganja include making people lazy and idle. Do the young Caymanians really need this?

    And somebody else is sprouting statistics about drug use and gateway drugs, except he’s quoting from a minor unofficial and very unsubstantial study in New Zealand of all places. get  a grip man.

    I think those of us that live in the real world and have seen drug abuse first hand know what they are talking about and when they have seen people go off the rails after starting on these ‘harmless’ products.

    I smoked weed for maybe 5 years and started to get bored of it. Now I look back and see how I wasted 5 years of my life. I did manage to hold down a reasonable job, but I had no motivation to do well at work or make something of my life. Like an honorary caymanian I used to blame the system or the immigrants or whatever for holding me back and not getting promotions etc at work but I understand now that it was me that was holding myself back. I’d become lazy and idle because I’d been out late the nght before and all I was thinking of was the smoke when I got home.

  5. Anonymous says:

    It is naive to beleive all ganga is all natural.  The main psychoactive chemical in the plant is THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol), although marijuana contains some 400 other chemicals as well.  It can readily be laced with many more dangerous substances such as cocaine, crack, PCP, powdered opium, heroin or even blunts dipped in embalming fluid to increase potency or dependancy.  Cigarette tobacco, is not natural either. 

    When THC and other chemicals enter the user’s body, the chemicals make their way through the bloodstream to the brain, where THC and the neurotransmitter anandamide bond to cannabinoid receptors.  High concentrations of these receptorsexist in those parts of the brain associated with short-term memory and reasoning, coordination, and unconscious muscle movements.

    Long-term marijuana use produces changes in the brain similar to those seen after long-term use of other drugs, and can cause behaviors such as uncontrollable drug craving, delinquent behavior, and aggression. Regular marijuana smokers also face some of the same problems as cigarette addicts, including daily cough and phlegm, symptoms of chronic bronchitis, and frequent chest colds. Because marijuana is usually smoked without a filter, the amount of carbon monoxide and tar inhaled by marijuana smokers is three to five times greater than that inhaled by tobacco smokers.

    However, a majority of marijuana users from a NZ study (63%) did not progress to the use of other illicit drugs. There is still no conclusive evidence that marijuana is, in fact, a gateway drug, though it is clear that most illicit drug users have experimented with marijuana at some point in time.

  6. A YOUNG CAYMANIAN!! says:

    There’s nothing wrong with Ganja.

    It’s been used by people all over the world for thousands of years. Some of the brightest and most philosophical people have used ganja in some fashion. It’s a natural drug…we don’t have to alter anything in the plant or go through any process to get a high. Unlike cocaine which comes from a plant and is then altered by men to get their desired high.

    It’s all about respect… it’s when people start to abuse it that it becomes a problem. Just like alcohol. Alcohol kills way more people every year than marijuana ever will.

    People need to educate themselves on ganja before they knock it.

    You shouldn’t be sent to prison for consumption of marijuana, there should be some other kind of work program for people who get caught. We could free up a lot of space in our prison (and put the real criminals in) if we took out all the inmates there now on ganja related charges. After all….marijuana is only illegal because the government needs it to be. hmmmmmm

    Alcohol used to be illegal and now its not…. its only a matter of time before marijuana follows suit. I sure as hell can’t wait, and just so everyone knows… i’m not a "weed head" i don’t even smoke weed. I respect the plant and its properties for what their worth….and thats a hell of a lot. Ask any doctor. 

     

  7. scared smoker says:

    it is frightening to think we could be arrested /put away/ kicked off for a relatively harmless smoke when there are some very bad people on the streets

    i pray cayman will evolve & not go back further….we all know deep down ganja is not the problem it is painted to be

     

    will there ever be a debate on this?

  8. Anonymous says:

    I don’t really think they’re gonna go to prison for consumption of Ganja, Young caymanian. If they’ve got a couple of pounds of ganja it is clearly not for their own consumption which therefore makes them a  dealer and therefore should result in a harsh prison term.

    Smoking ganja seems innocent enough but usually leads to harder drug use and I can say that from experience in the outside world and not just on a small and fairly shielded island.

  9. Expat24,372 says:

    Yes indeed Young Caymanian, perhaps when consuming all the ganga you can tell all your smoking buddies of how the system is keeping you down with all these ex-pats taking all the jobs of the young Caymanian on the street.

     

  10. A YOUNG CAYMANIAN!! says:

    I can’t believe people are still getting arrested and sent to prison for consuming ganja.

    Lets get cocaine off the street… Ganja needs to stay!