A 52-year-old woman has been fined for possession of marijuana, which she told the court did not belong to her.
“I’ve been caught with marijuana already and that was mine,” the woman, Louanne Young, 52, of Lowmans Leeward, told the Serious Offences Court in relation to the 1,939 grammes of cannabis that she was caught with at the Grenadines Wharf on Saturday.
She pleaded guilty to a charge that on May 27, in Kingstown, she had 1,939 grammes of cannabis in her possession with intent to supply to another.
The facts, presented by Sergeant Atnel Ash, are that on May 27, about 4:15 p.m., PC919 Williams and PC878 Farrell were on duty at the Grenadines Wharf, where they were conducting routine searches.
Williams noticed Young and a push cart operator approaching gate No. 7, and she questioned the cart operator about its contents.
The cart operator identified two brown cardboard boxes that Young said belong to her.
While searching a blue shopping bag, Williams found three taped packages containing the marijuana.
“You nah see ah mine. You nah see ah mine own. Nah me you find wid them,” Young said after the officer found the drug.
She told the court that someone has asked her to put the box on a ferry for somebody in Bequia.
Young said has been caught with marijuana before and that was hers.
“This one is not mine,” she said.
She further told the court that she knew the content of the box.
Chief Magistrate Rechanne Browne began her sentence with a fine of EC$4,560 and after considering the mitigating and aggravating factors arrived at a fine of EC$2,900.
“And I really want every cent today,” the magistrate said.
She, however, ordered Young to pay forthwith EC$700 of the EC$720 that she had with her in court.
Young must pay the balance of EC$2,200 by June 30, if she is to avoid an eight-month jail term.
The magistrate also ordered that the drug be confiscated and destroyed.