SEVEN St Elizabeth men, including well known businessman Lumsden Ledgister, are scheduled to appear in the Half-Way-Tree Criminal Court today to answer charges of conspiracy to export ganja, and conspiracy to import guns and ammunition into Jamaica.

The other accused men are Luddy Banton, Felix Dennis, Horace McKenzie, Richard Graham, Kenric Bennett and Andrew Reid.

The men, the police alleged, are believed to be major players in the illegal drugs-for-guns trade between Jamaica and Haiti.

The seven, who were picked up by Operation Kingfish operatives in January, are alleged to have piloted a boat laden with ganja to Haiti in May last year, where they allegedly exchanged the drugs for weapons.

However, during their attempt to travel back to Jamaica in July their boat allegedly developed mechanical problems and went adrift, eventually running into Cuban waters.

While in Cuban waters the men were intercepted by Cuban security officials, who allegedly caught the men trying to dispose of several guns.

The Cuban Government later contacted the local authorities and had the men turned over. They were arrested and charged in January following months of investigations.