Vincentian woman pays fine, back home

Vincentian Vernice Stowe, the 35-year-old mother of two who was arrested in Barbados with 1.5 kilograms of liquid cocaine on June 6, returned to St Vincent and the Grenadines on Wednesday, having paid a BDS$50,000 fine, approximately EC$67,000.

Had she not paid the fine, Stowe who would have been forced to spend the next three years of her life behind bars in Barbados at Her Majesty’s Prison (HMP), Dodds.{{more}} She arrived in St Vincent on a LIAT flight around 3:20 p.m. Wednesday.

On arrival at the airport, she was processed then taken to the Central Police Station in Kingstown, after which she was released.

Stowe was fined last week when she appeared in the District “B” Magistrates’ Court on four cocaine-related charges. Originally from Bequia, but now residing in Belair, she was stopped at the Grantley Adams International Airport in Barbados after authorities suspected her of being in possession of illegal narcotics.

She arrived in Barbados by air from St Vincent on a LIAT flight and was interviewed by police and was later referred to Customs for a search of her luggage.

During the search, two (2) bottles containing a liquid were found. Tests revealed that the liquid in both bottles was cocaine, weighing 1.5 kilograms.

As a result of the find, the mother of two was arrested and charged with possession of cocaine, possession with intent to supply cocaine, trafficking cocaine and importation of cocaine.

Reports are that she told police that she did not know that she was carrying the drugs, as she was given the bottles by a friend to take to someone.