Acting Commissioner of Police, Owen Ellington is expressing satisfaction with the swift outcome of the criminal case involving divers who were caught affixing canisters containing marijuana to ships docked at Port Bustamante on October 10 and October 21.

Brothers Fitzroy and George Pickersgill pleaded guilty to breaching the Dangerous Drugs Act in the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate's Court on October 23. Both were sentenced to two and a half years at hard labour.

"Every time the police are able to disrupt the movement of drugs, we win a small battle in our attempts to limit the amount of guns coming into the island and the amount of money available to criminals for use in their criminal enterprises.

In addition, when we catch divers we disrupt the trafficking operations of several criminal syndicates because divers are crucial to their operations as they often work for several criminal groups. I am particularly pleased with the policemen, who are trained drivers, for their courage and their commitment in capturing these criminals. I congratulate them and urge all members of the JCF to learn from their example," Acting Commissioner Ellington said.

Three other men who were also caught by police divers affixing canisters with marijuana on ships, pleaded not guilty and will return to court on December 11, 2009.