Assistant Superintendent of Police Frankie Thomas has defended a major cannabis raid near Pares Village, warning that law enforcement will continue targeting illegal cultivation despite Antigua and Barbuda's decriminalisation laws.
According to Antigua News Room, the operation — carried out on Thursday — resulted in the seizure of more than 500 cannabis plants and nearly 1,000 pounds of cured marijuana. Four men were arrested and remain in custody.
Thomas stated that the scale of the cultivation far exceeded the legal limit of four plants per person and was not covered under the medicinal or sacramental licences required for larger-scale production.
"Clearly, what is happening here — none of these fall within this category," Thomas said, noting that those arrested did not possess the necessary licences to operate legally.
The raid was a multi-agency operation involving the police, Customs, Immigration, and the K-9 Unit. Thomas made clear that authorities intend to maintain enforcement pressure on illegal cannabis operations across the country.
