By FARRAH JOHNSON
Tribune Staff Reporter
fjohnson@tribunemedia.net
A 55-year-old man who was found with over three pounds of marijuana was fined $6,000 in a Magistrate’s Court yesterday.
Craig Bullard appeared before Magistrate Samuel McKinney charged with two counts of dangerous drug possession with the intent to supply. The charges came after officers seized three pounds and 1.8 ounces of Indian Hemp from him on August 9.
The court heard officers and a K-9 unit proceeded to Bullard’s Pinewood residence around 6.25pm on the day in question. Upon their arrival, the officers identified themselves and showed the defendant a warrant, before informing him his home would be searched in reference to dangerous drugs and firearms.
During their investigation, officers found a clear plastic bag containing a quantity of suspected marijuana on the floor. Outside of the home, the K-9 unit also led officers to a banana tree in the backyard. Under it, the officers found one clear jar which contained three more plastic bags containing suspected marijuana. A further search of the backyard led to the discovery of six more bags near a fence in a bushy area. Bullard was subsequently arrested and transported to the Drug Enforcement Unit. In an interview with police there, he admitted to the offences.
During the hearing yesterday, Bullard was represented by attorney Jomo Campbell. He told the magistrate his client had zero pending matters and was not desirous of wasting the court’s time or resources. He also noted Bullard did the “honourable” thing by accepting responsibility for the contraband during his interview with police and insisted the defendant realised his current lifestyle was not “working for him”.
As a result, Magistrate Mckinney accepted Bullard’s guilty plea and fined him $6,000. He also warned the defendant if he failed to pay the fine, he would spend one year at the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services.
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