RRU makes hat-trick with arrests in space of minutes

Over the weekend the Rapid Response Unit (RRU) of the Royal St Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force performed a hat-trick in making three consecutive arrests for similar offences within minutes of each other at La Soufrière.{{more}}

When they appeared before the Serious Offences Court yesterday, Ansil James (35), Omalia Lavia (26) and Danroy Thomas (19) all pleaded guilty to the charges laid before them.

James, a labourer of Carapan, was charged that on January 30, he had in his possession 3,142 grams of cannabis with intent to supply.

According to police, around 6:20 p.m., Corporal 723 Nolan Dalloway was leading a patrol around the Bamboo Range public road when he spotted James with a bag. Dalloway then approached him, got the aroma of marijuana and searched him. A search of the bag turned up five taped packages and one transparent package.

“Officer is to smoke,” said James.

“It’s a lot of weed to be smoking, you alone,” said chief magistrate Rechanne Browne-Matthias, who then asked “Why should I not send you to jail?”

He pleaded for leniency from the chief magistrate, stating that he has three children.

He was fined $6,000, $2,000 of which was to be paid forthwith, or in default, he would serve nine months in prison. The remaining $4,000 is to be paid by April 15, or in default, he would spend 18 months in prison.

A destruction order for the drugs was made.

Lavia, a carpenter of Stubbs was charged with having in his possession 1,147 grams of cannabis, with intent to supply it to another.

A few minutes before, on the same day, around 6 p.m., PC Jackson, while amongst the RRU party, saw Lavia with a grey knapsack. When he was approached and searched by the officers, they retrieved four brown taped packages and one transparent package in which the drugs were found.

“Officer, ah fuh me mind me pickney” he told officers.

During his hearing, Lavia asked the chief magistrate for sympathy, which she gave, because of his age.

“I don’t think in this situation a custodial sentence is in order,” she said.

She then fined him $2,500, $1,000 to be paid forthwith or in default, nine months in prison, with the remaining $1,500 to be paid before March 11.

Thomas, a labourer of Stubbs/Evesham was charged with having in his possession 1,008 grams of cannabis with intent to supply to another at Soufrière mountain.

According to police, on January 30, around 5:45 p.m., Thomas was spotted and searched by RRU officers who discovered four brown taped packages containing the drug.

Chief magistrate Rechanne Browne-Matthias considered his age and his early guilty plea and fined him $2,300, with $1,500 to be paid forthwith, or in default nine months in prison, while the remaining $800 is to be paid by February 29.(AS)