[Sativa]

A Jamaican man was fined $450,000 on a drug offence after he attempted to take some 594 grammes of cannabis through the country’s airport defences.

Newton Oral Rose was caught with the drug on 1 May and was charged with possession of the illegal substance, possession with intent to transfer and importation, to which he pleaded guilty.

The court heard that the 35-year-old Jamaican arrived in Antigua at about 4:35pm on board a regional airline from the Norman Manley Airport in Jamaica.

After disembarking the flight, he proceeded to the Immigration Department for processing, but officers, having received certain information, handed Rose over to Customs officials.

Two customs officers later questioned Rose, who admitted that he had ingested a portion of cannabis pellets.

An on duty police officer was summoned to the room where Rose was being questioned as he admitted that he had swallowed about 70 pieces of the cannabis pellets.

“I cannot remember how much, I lost count, but it is not more than 70,” Rose, a father of three, told the police.

Rose consented to seeking medical attention and was taken to Holberton Hospital, where he was seen by Dr. Sylvester, who prescribed medication and recommended an x-ray.

The x-ray revealed several pellets lodged in the man’s stomach.

He was admitted to Blackburn Ward under police watch and on 2 May about 9:20 a.m. requested to use the bathroom. He was escorted by an officer and he passed 47 pellets each wrapped in transparent plastic.

About 6:15 p.m. that same evening he visited the bathroom facilities again where he passed 18 more pellets.

The following day at about 9:30 a.m. he passed the remaining two pellets. He had ingested 67 pellets in all.

On 5 May Rose was discharged from the hospital and taken into police custody and arrested and charged.

The drug has an estimated street value of $1,500.

Rose said he was not in the least proud of what he did, but said things are hard in Jamaica and he has financial problems.

The father of three said the ticket was purchased here in exchange for him carrying the drugs.

Rose added that he is a smoker and was going to use some of the cannabis himself, and then give the rest to the individual, who was going to collect him at the airport.

He has until 22 May to pay $200,000 and $250,000 for possession with intent to transfer and importation, respectively.

He faces three years hard labour and five years in prison, both sentences to run concurrently if he fails to pay the fine.

On the possession charge he was convicted and severely reprimanded.

The magistrate ordered that Rose be removed from the state upon satisfaction of the sentence.



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Source: Antigua Sun
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