Police attached to the Counter Terrorism and Organized Crime Investigations branch, (CTOC) has seized an estimated 10 million dollars in counterfeit sugar from an establishment on Gold Street in Kingston.

The afternoon operation saw the police taking one man into custody and an investigation launched to unmask the true nature of the illicit operation. CTOC says since the start of the year nearly 500 million dollars worth of counterfeit goods have been seized.

Ten million dollars worth of counterfeit sugar just metres away from the Gold Street police station in Downtown, Kingston sweetened the investigation for the specially trained CTOC team.

The officer says only two companies locally are authorized to import and sell sugar but notes in recent times the underworld has managed to dip into the sweet trade. He notes that not only are they cutting out legitimate sugar workers but have been putting consumers at risk with unhygienic practices.

ASP Barnett says the barefaced move is not indicative of a lapse on the part of the gold street police. He says one person is in custody as the probe picks up. He says CTOC has raked in big money from seizures this year.

More in this CVM Live story from Neika Lewis: