Home The Big Stories Court orders cash confiscated in drug operation to be forfeited to state

Court orders cash confiscated in drug operation to be forfeited to state

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By Tahna Weston

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A Jamaican national was convicted and sentenced for drug possession and the EC $2,160 and US $420 which the police confiscated from him was ordered to be forfeited to the state.

Okive Banton had pleaded guilty to drug charges when he appeared before Magistrate Ngaio Emanuel in the District B Magistrate’s Court.

The police charged him for possession of 1.25 pounds of cannabis with intent to sell and possession of cannabis.

Banton, who received a reprimand and discharge on the possession charge, was fined $40,000 on the more serious count of possession with intent to sell. He has two years to pay the fine or he will be jailed for two years.

Magistrate Emanuel also made an order for the drugs to be destroyed.

Banton was detained and taken into custody by the police on January 10 after search warrants were executed at his business place, Straight Pub, in Paynters and a nearby property belonging to Delroy Basksom at about 5pm.

The police conducted a search at Straight Pub, but nothing was found. However, a quantity of US and EC currency was found in Banton’s left pants pocket.

However, the officers left and returned to the area about 6:20 pm when they went Basksom’s home which is located next to Straight Pub to execute a search warrant.

During the operation the officers realized that there was a strong odour of cannabis coming from the western side of the house.

Checks were made and they found one red and two black shopping bags containing 269 small Ziploc bags and four vacuum sealed bags with the illegal drugs on a ledge underneath the house, the side which was facing the business.

Basksom was questioned about the drugs but denied knowing anything about the illegal substance.  Banton was taken to the scene and he immediately admitted that the drugs belonged to him and that the “old man don’t know nothing about that”.

He along with Basksom were arrested and taken into custody.

The police, who suspected the money the cash he had on him was obtained through the sale of cannabis, seized it.

Michael Archibald was his lawyer.

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