2 Tons of Marijuana Found on Jetliner : Air Jamaica Ordered to Pay Fine of $28.8-Million in Miami

The U.S. Customs Service impounded an Air Jamaica jetliner today after finding nearly two tons of marijuana on board and ordered the airline to pay a fine of $28.8 million.

The Customs Service said in a statement that its inspectors found the marijuana concealed in a shipment of clothing after the Air Jamaica Airbus A-300 aircraft landed Saturday at Miami International Airport after a flight from Montego Bay.

“Today’s seizure reflects customs’ opinion that Air Jamaica did not exercise the highest degree of care or diligence in preventing the use of its aircraft in the conveyance of illegal drugs,” the statement said.

Customs officials said the Jamaican government is trying to get the aircraft released. They said the fine is one of the largest ever imposed on an airline for carrying illegal drugs.

Such fines are normally reduced as a result of negotiations with airline officials, but customs officials said they expect to collect a large portion of the fine from Air Jamaica.

“Because of the number of times we’ve found drugs on Air Jamaica planes, we’re determined to get a fair piece of that money,” a customs spokesman said.

Since October, 1980, customs inspectors have made 130 marijuana seizures on Air Jamaica aircraft totaling nearly 18,000 pounds.

The Customs Service penalizes airlines $500 for each ounce of marijuana and $1,000 for each ounce of cocaine found aboard their planes.

Air Jamaica is Jamaica’s national carrier and is owned by the government. Customs officials said they found a total of 3,595 pounds of marijuana in the shipment.

One suspect, identified as William Muller, 33, of Miami, was arrested, customs officials said.