Nevis man slapped with multiple drug charges as cocaine concerns grow

BASSETERRE, St. Kitts — POLICE have laid five drug-related charges against Lejae Lagore of Pot Works, Nevis, as part of ongoing efforts to combat the rising presence of cocaine and other narcotics on the streets of the Federation.

According to a police statement, Lagore was charged with the following offences: Possession of Cannabis with Intent to Supply, Possession of Cocaine, Possession of Cocaine with Intent to Supply, Possession of a Controlled Drug (Ecstasy), Possession of a Controlled Drug with Intent to Supply (Ecstasy).

The charges were formally laid on July 1 at the Cotton Ground Police Station on Nevis.

These charges come amid growing concern over the prevalence of cocaine in St. Kitts and Nevis. Authorities have reported several incidents in recent months involving the drug, both at ports of entry and during residential search operations.

Just recently, Bruce Nolan of Lower Shaw Avenue, McKnight, was also charged with Possession of Cocaine and Possession with Intent to Supply following a search that uncovered 10 grams of the substance.

The increased seizures and arrests have sparked public concern over whether the Federation is  becoming a transshipment hub for narcotics. However, police officials have denied this claim.

Assistant Commissioner of Police Travis Rogers last year stated, “I am not seeing that St. Kitts is slowly becoming a transhipment point at this time.”

Despite the denial, drug-related incidents with international links continue to surface. Last year, a vessel from St. Vincent and the Grenadines carrying a significant quantity of cocaine came ashore in St. Kitts en route to another destination.

Meanwhile, Guyana—a country already under scrutiny as a known transshipment point—has also faced recent challenges. In March, SKNVibes’ Georgetown correspondent reported that French authorities intercepted a Guyanese-registered vessel in Africa carrying 6.3 tonnes of cocaine, a revelation confirmed by that country’s Minister of Home Affairs.

As drug enforcement efforts intensify, regional security officials continue to monitor trafficking trends to prevent the Caribbean from becoming a growing conduit for narcotics.