By SANCHESKA BROWN

Tribune Staff Reporter

sbrown@tribunemedia.net

THREE men, two Bahamian pilots and a Canadian, are in police custody after they were found with more than $1million worth of marijuana and ecstasy at the Lynden Pindling International Airport Monday night.

The drug seizure happened around 8pm.

According to reports, Drug Enforcement Unit officers, assisted by officers from the Drug Enforcement Administration, acting on intelligence, went to the Executive Flight Support section at LPIA where they conducted a search of a Hawker Jet that had just arrived from Montreal, Canada.

During the search officers found four suitcases containing 149 pounds of marijuana, 17.4 pounds of ecstasy pills and 2.6 pounds of Hashish oil. The officers also discovered over $12,000 in Bahamian currency and $300 in Canadian currency.

Officer in charge of the Drug Enforcement Unit said the grade of marijuana confiscated from the men is worth four times more than the marijuana grown in the Bahamas or brought from Jamaica.

The Tribune understands one of the suspects was charged in 2002 with conspiracy to possess cocaine with intent to supply, but was acquitted of the charge.

He was also charged, along with two others, in connection with a stolen plane, but was also acquitted.

The marijuana has a street value of $670,000, the ecstasy pills are worth $360,000 and the hashish oil $20,000. In total the drugs of a street value of $1,050,000.

The suspects, aged 48, 37 and 23, were taken into custody and are expected to appear in court later this week to face several drug-related charges.

Investigations are continuing.