Four Men Face Multi-Million Dollar Drug Charges After Police Dismantle Pares Cannabis Plantation

Four Antiguan men have been formally charged and offered bail following one of the most significant cannabis seizures recorded in Antigua and Barbuda in recent years — the result of a coordinated multi-agency law enforcement operation that dismantled an unlicensed plantation near Pares Village last week.

Rodwell McCurdy, Vincent Isaac, Garry Creighton, and Javen Ryner appeared before Chief Magistrate Ngaio Emanuel on Monday, June 8th, where they were each charged with possession of cannabis, drug trafficking in relation to cured cannabis, possession of cannabis plants, and cultivation of cannabis plants. The four accused were represented in court by attorney Craig Christopher.

The charges arise from an operation carried out on June 4th, during which a joint team comprising officers from the Narcotics Department, K-9 Unit, Gangs and Suppression Unit, and Customs Enforcement executed a targeted raid on an unlicensed cannabis cultivation site in the Pares Village area.

The operation resulted in the seizure of 158.1 pounds of cured cannabis — valued at approximately 455,400 EC dollars — and 1,119.1 pounds of cannabis plants, with a combined estimated value exceeding 3 million EC dollars.

Chief Magistrate Emanuel granted bail to each of the four accused in the sum of 500,000 dollars, with a mandatory cash component of 50,000 dollars and the provision of 2 sureties.

The conditions attached to their release are stringent. Each accused is required to report to the Parham Police Station three times weekly — every Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday — between the hours of 6 am and 6 pm.

They are further prohibited from communicating with or interfering with any potential witnesses in the matter, must surrender all Antiguan and Barbudan travel documents, and are subject to an immediate travel ban at all ports of entry.

The case has been adjourned to August 26th, 2026, when it will return before the court for committal proceedings.