Man fined $2,500 for marijuana stashed in scooter

A Parham Town man has been fined $2,500 fine in relation to an August 2018 incident where he was found with 27.7 grams of cannabis stashed in his scooter.

Twenty-seven-year-old Kadeem Jimenez was fined after pleading guilty to possession of a controlled drug when he appeared before Magistrate Ayanna Baptiste-DaBreo on Wednesday.

The magistrate ordered the offender to pay the fine by March 18 or serve four months at Her Majesty’s Prison in Balsam Ghut.

What happened

The court heard that on August 7, police officers were on mobile patrol in Hodges Creek, Tortola when they observed Jimenez riding a black scooter and acting suspiciously.

He was subsequently pulled over and his scooter and person was searched.

During the search, police uncovered three transparent bags containing green vegetable matter suspected to be cannabis. He was also carying $2,000 cash in $5’s, 10’s, 20’s and $100 notes.

The cash and cannabis were confiscated and he was arrested and taken to the Road Town Police Station.

When cautioned about the discovery, the offender reportedly said: “The weed belongs to me, officer. I bought it to go home and smoke.”

He was then charged.

Cash to be returned

Because police did not charge Jimenez with any other offences such as possession of a controlled drug with intent to supply or pocession proceeds of criminal conduct, the court ruled that his belongings such as his $2,000 cash be returned.

Furthermore, the court pointed out that the Crown did not make a forfeiture application to allow the funds to be kept in the custody of the territory.