Man fined $8,500 for cocaine and cannabis

A man was fined $8,500 at the Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday after he was caught with a quantity of cocaine and cannabis at Sage Mountain back in 2018.

Eversely Barker was fined after pleading guilty to two counts of possession of a controlled drug on a previous occasion.

Magistrate Christilyn Benjamin fined the drug offender $6,000 for possession of 25.6 grams of cocaine. In default of not paying, Barker will spend six months at Her Majesty’s Prison.

He was then fined $2,500 for 13.6 grams of cannabis. If he fails to pay, he would spend four months at the adult penitentiary.

Barker has until July 23 to pay the fines and is scheduled to return to court on the same day to report on whether he paid.

What the court heard happened

The court heard that on August 3, 2018, police were conducting a stop-and-search operation at Sage Mountain on Tortola.

Law enforcers were prompted to search Barker and his vehicle after being alerted by the scent of burnt cannabis. The smell was reportedly emanating from his car.

The search revealed the quantity of cannabis in his left-hand pants pocket while the cocaine was found in a black case in the vehicle that he was driving.

The court further heard that Barker confirmed to the police that the items were cannabis and cocaine.

He was subsequently arrested and charged. Barker, who operates a landscaping and maintenance business, was unrepresented.