Eight cruise ship passengers were taken into custody on Wednesday after the narcotics police seized a large quantity of cocaine in Ocho Rios, St. Ann, disrupting a transnational drug trafficking syndicate, operating between the US and Jamaica.

Reports are that the eight US nationals disembarked a vessel that arrived in Ocho Rios from Miami, Florida, early Wednesday.

About 1:30 p.m., when they were re-boarding the vessel for departure, anomalies were detected in their luggage.

During a search by members of the narcotics division, twenty-four packages containing cocaine weighing over 17 kilograms or 38 pounds, with an estimated street value of US$850,000, were found concealed in their bags.

The passengers were arrested for breaches of the Dangerous Drugs Act.

Their identities are being withheld pending further investigations.