Vaz rubbishes claim that Buju Banton’s hurricane supplies were stolen at airport

Transport Minister Daryl Vaz has hit back at claims made by reggae superstar Buju Banton that items from his hurricane relief shipment were stolen at the Norman Manley International Airport in Kingston.

Buju, in a fiery video posted online on Wednesday, blasted what he called "thieves" at the airport, saying a stove and a Starlink device had gone missing from the supplies he sent to help victims of Hurricane Melissa.

But Vaz, responding on social media platform X Thursday morning, said an immediate probe found no evidence of tampering or theft.

"In the interest of transparency, the investigation revealed that the goods were cleared by customs straight off the plane. They never went to any room or offsite location. The items went directly from the plane to the receiving truck," Vaz explained.

He added that all pallets were sealed and wrapped exactly as they arrived, and images were taken to document the process.

According to the minister, a cargo manifest provided for the shipment showed no stove or Starlink device listed among the items sent.

"The customs officer who cleared the shipment confirmed that the pallets were not disturbed, nor were any seals removed. The sender provided the list, and it was cross-checked when the truck was packed. Nothing was missing or disturbed," Vaz said.

The relief items were part of a major airlift from South Florida, led by Jamaican-born pilot Captain Barrington Irving Jr. in partnership with the Buju Banton Foundation.

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