Bahamas Government Demolishes Narcotics “Stash Houses” in Nassau

Above: a tractor begins the demolition on a so-called “stash house” in Nassau (BIS Photo/Raymond Bethel)

By the Caribbean Journal staff

The Bahamas has demolished two abandoned buildings in Nassau after what police called a “significant” seizure of marijuana.

The two spaces had been used as so-called “stash houses” for illegal drugs, according to the government. The move came less than 24 hours after a little over four pounds of marijuana was found in one of the buildings.

“We believe that the drugs were going to be used by drug peddlers in the area to sell to our little children and to our residents, and so the discovery and confiscation of the four pounds of marijuana,” said Bahamian Police Superintendent Stephen Dean. “The destruction of these two ‘stash houses’ have allowed us to remove a big opportunity for drug dealers while putting a big dent in their operations in this particular area.”

The demolition was conducted jointly by Bahamian police officials, personnel from the Bain and Grant’s Town Urban Renewal Project and the Bahamas Electricity Corporation.

The Urban Renewal Programme has been a major priority for new Bahamian Prime Minister Perry Christie.

The buildings were located near Baillou Hill Road in Nassau.

“The Royal Bahamas Police Force will not allow our communities to be overrun by drug peddlers, and anywhere our intelligence leads us to additional stash houses, the same will occur,” he said.

The bust was called “significant” by police, as marijuana has reportedly become the drug of choice among young people in the Bahamas, Dean said.

Similar operations are going on throughout New Providence and the rest of the Bahamas.

“In the instance of the buildings destroyed today, they have been under surveillance for quite some time,” he said. “Our officers observed the steady flow of persons in and out; we observed the illegal activities taking place, and that’s why we moved in.”