A BAHAMIAN pilot is in custody after landing a plane in Cat Island with cocaine that is estimated to value about $1.6m.

Assistant Superintendent of Police Audley Peters said yesterday another man fled the plane and escaped.

He said: “In a joint operation with the US Customs and Border Control, US Coast Guard, Drug Enforcement Administration, Drug Enforcement Unit and officers on the island of Cat Island, an aircraft was observed leaving Haiti sometime around 12.30 this afternoon and headed north towards the Bahamas. That aircraft landed in Long Island and left immediately.”

“It later landed on the island of Cat Island where a male was seen disembarking the aircraft with two multi-coloured suitcases. The male ran into nearby bushes. However, one of the surveillance aircraft landed and officers from that craft pursued the male. However, he made good his escape. Those officers were successful in recovering those two suitcases and on examination of those suitcases, 58 black packages suspected to be cocaine were discovered. The aircraft that landed on the island went on to Cat Island where the pilot was later arrested by officers on that island. The street value of that cocaine is estimated value of $1.6 million.”

ASP Peters said the pilot, a 38-years-old man, is not familiar to police.

Officers suspect this activity was part of a larger, transnational drug operation.

ASP Peters said officers are not sure if the escaped suspect is still in the Bahamas.