Police yesterday said they made a breakthrough in the guns-for-drugs trade between Jamaica and Haiti after a large cache of ammunition and a number of items used in the trade were seized.

The seizure, police said, follows an early morning operation in Grants Pen, St Thomas.

Police said the items seized included approximately 300 pounds of compressed ganja along with:

❒ 2 boats

❒ 4 boat engines

❒ 1 - .45 semi-automatic pistol

❒ 59 - .45 mm cartridges

❒ 48 - 5.56 mm cartridges

❒ 6 - .38 mm cartridges

❒ 28 - 9 mm cartridges

❒ 5 magazines including an extended magazine for a Glock pistol

❒ approximately 100 gallons of boat fuel

❒ 1 global positioning system (GPS) and

❒ 1 compass

Police said the seizure took place about 6 a.m. when members from the St Thomas and Marine divisions along with members from the Caribbean Search Centre were conducting the operation in the area.

The police said four premises were searched and 12 persons - 10 men and two women - were taken into custody. The identities of those in custody are being withheld pending further investigations.

The St Thomas police are continuing their probe into the incident.