Bajan fined $15,000 for drug possession

Chief Magistrate Sonya Young on Tuesday at the Serious Offences Court slapped a $15,000 fine forthwith on a Barbadian national after he pleaded guilty to possessing over 3859 grams (8.5 pounds) of cannabis. The alternative was an 18-month prison sentence.{{more}} A deportation order was also made against him.

Jordan, 32, an Electrician, was initially jointly charged with his fiancé Shara Simmons, 28, Office Manager, also of Barbados. Her charge was dropped after the prosecution decided not to offer any evidence against her.

The facts in the matter stated that approximately 7:45pm on August 3, acting on certain information, members of the Drug Squad went to the Villa Lodge Hotel where the hotel’s manager handed over two cushions to them containing two taped packages of the controlled drug.

Further inquires were made and the police officers proceeded to the E.T Joshua Airport where the defendant was met. He was approached and questioned about the drug, which, under caution by the officers, he admitted belonged to him.

Representing Gordon, lawyer Ronald Marks said that his client was made an offer to carry the drugs back to Barbados and that the only reason he did it was to support his terminally ill mother. The young attorney said that if he had been caught at the airport with the drug, it would have been more aggravating. Marks told the court that Gordon had seen the police at the hotel the day before and he got cold feet and decided against carrying the drugs.