Forty-two-year-old Clifford Mills of Old Harbour in St Catherine was detained by the team of security officials, as he attempted to make his way back to Jamaica by boat yesterday afternoon.

The police have been after Mills for almost four years. He is believed to be a major player not only in the Jamaica/Haiti trade, but also is believed to have developed many other markets in The Bahamas and other Caribbean territories.

A 22-year-old Haitian woman and two other Jamaican men were also detained and more than 2,000 pounds of ganja seized.

The three have been identified as Mahouchce Tivulus, 36-year-old Peter Thompson, a welder from Clarendon; and 40-year-old Howard Sanderson of Old Harbour Bay in St Catherine.

Kingfish spokesman, Jubert Llewellyn, said a boat carrying Mills, Thompson and Sanderson managed to escape security officials on its way to Haiti on Tuesday but the three and Tivulus were held at noon yesterday off the coast of La Point in southwestern Haiti.

"Two thousand and sixty-two pounds of compressed ganja, a 30-foot go-fast boat and two-boat engines were also seized," Llewellyn told The Gleaner yesterday.

He said the operation may have prevented more than 200 illegal guns and thousands of rounds of ammunition from entering Jamaica, as approximately seven pounds of ganja could be exchanged for a gun.

The operation may have prevented more than 200 illegal guns and thousands of rounds of ammunition from entering Jamaica.