WARMINSTER, St Elizabeth — The seizure of 13 pounds of cocaine in a major bust at a house operated as a drug base in this remote St Elizabeth community north of Junction has sparked concerns that the parish could experience an increase in violent crime.

The cocaine, worth an estimated $28 million, as well as 222 pounds of ganja valued at $2.2 million, more than $1 million in cash, and a car were confiscated by narcotics police at the house on Thursday night.

The Jamaica Observer was told that a man ran from the house and escaped.

According to one law enforcer, the presence of the cocaine is worrying as it “spells trouble”.

“St Elizabeth has had a number of drug seizures, largely marijuana, because there are a lot of ganja fields in the parish. Last year thousands of pounds of ganja were destroyed,” the source said.

“In terms of cocaine, since the middle of last year there hasn’t been any seizure of cocaine. Anywhere cocaine is, there are always guns and gangs. Now, to have this white powder in the parish it spells trouble,” the source said, adding that cocaine compounds the already deadly presence of gun, gangs and ganja in St Elizabeth.

“This is of concern to us as law enforcement officers. Cocaine in the parish could lead to other violent crimes. Whatever the quantity is, it has serious implications,” the source said.

The narcotics police have named Cetron Smith, a resident of Warminster district, as a person of interest in relation to the drug seizure.

They have asked him to report to the Narcotics Area 3 office on deCarteret Road in Mandeville by 10:00 am Saturday.