Three men were arrested and packages of drugs they threw overboard were seized after they rammed their boat, which later sank, into the side of a Cayman Islands Coast Guard vessel that attempted to intercept them.
Police said the Coast Guard, while on patrol, were notified of the boat travelling towards Grand Cayman on Sunday, 12 Feb. When they approached it, the boat picked up speed and tried to evade the Coast Guard vessel, which prompted a chase.
During the chase, police said, officers on board the Coast Guard vessel saw packages being thrown overboard by people on the boat they were following.
“As the CICG closed the distance between them, the operator of the vessel being followed attempted to evade capture by running his vessel into the side of the CICG vessel on three occasions,” police said.
The Coast Guard eventually stopped the boat and the three men on board were questioned.
During this time, their boat began to take on water and eventually sunk.
“Having been taken onboard the CICG vessel, they were subsequently arrested on suspicion of being concerned with the importation of controlled drugs into the Islands and were then transported to shore and handed over to RCIPS,” police said in a statement issued on Tuesday.
All three were taken to the Cayman Islands Hospital, as they reported having injuries. They were released from hospital later that night.
With the assistance of the RCIPS Air Operations Unit, a number of packages were recovered from the ocean, and handed over to the RCIPS.
A police update on Wednesday confirmed the three men, ages 33 and 37 of West Bay, and 37 of North Side, have been charged with one count each of illicit trafficking, importing ganja, reckless and dangerous act, damage to property and resisting/obstructing arrest.
The Coast Guard vessel involved in the chase sustained some damage, but remains operational, police said, “and luckily, none of its crew members sustained serious injuries”.
Related Videos
