A $21,000 fine for cocaine and a gun found in sugar

Trinidad fisherman, Dion Harry has been fined $21,000 for possession of cocaine and ammunition which was found among brown sugar in a pirogue off St. Vincent.

He was jointly charged along with Joel Medina, Andre Lee, and Kerry Keller, also of Trinidad and Tobago, with intent to supply, drug trafficking and attempted importation of drugs, possession of 20 rounds of 5.56mm ammunition without a license, and possession of 49 rounds of 7.62 mm ammunition without a license.

The men were intercepted at Canouan, with 330 grams of cocaine in their possession along with the firearm and ammunition.

Harry pleaded guilty to all the charges while his co-accused pleaded not guilty.

According to the facts of the case presented in court; acting on information, the Coast Guard intercepted the vessel west of Canouan, and boarded it, during which time they met the four accused who consented to a search of their persons.

Nothing illegal was found on them but after Harry consented to a search of the boar at the Coast Guard base officers found a black plastic bag among some brown sugar which contained a light brown fudge-like substance resembling cocaine and a package with several rounds of ammunition.

He along with the men was subsequently charged and taken before the court.

During the sentencing period, Harry’s attorney told the court that his client cooperated with the police by entering a guilty plea and had not wasted the court’s time.

Harry was fined $6,000 for possession or six months in prison and $3,500 on each of the importation and trafficking charges or three months in prison on each charge.

For the 49 rounds of 7.62 mm ammunition, the fine was $6,534 or eight months in prison and for the 20 rounds of 5.56 ammunition, a fine of $2,000 was imposed or in default of payment six months in prison.

She ordered that Harry be removed from the country after complying with the order of the court.