Jamaica remains among a list of countries in the Caribbean and Central America which are considered major transhipment points for illicit drugs.
In its 2012 report the International Narcotics Control Board says drug trafficking organisations have increased their operations in the region, posing a serious threat to security.
The report adds that youth-related violence, street gangs, and the widespread availability of firearms have contributed to increasingly high crime rates.
The narcotics report further says drug trafficking has become an important driver of homicide rates in Central America.
It notes that Jamaica along with El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras now have the world’s highest homicide rates.
The narcotics report says corruption and limited law enforcement capacity have facilitated the use of smuggling channels and drug trafficking activities in the region.
Source-gleanerjm.com
