By FARRAH JOHNSON
Tribune Staff Reporter
fjohnson@tribunemedia.net
A SPANISH Wells man who last week imported a quantity of marijuana and cannabis oil into the country was yesterday fined $7,000.
Police arrested Dickson Sweeting, 26, after they found one ounce of loose Indian hemp and 65 cannabis oil vapours in his possession on January 14.
He pleaded guilty to two counts of importing dangerous drugs during a hearing before Magistrate Samuel McKinney.
The prosecution said around 1:30pm that day, North Eleuthera officers, acting on information, embarked on the “Comfort Zone” vessel and told the captain they would like to search the boat. During their investigation, they found Sweeting in one of the cruise vessel’s cabins with the drugs. He was subsequently arrested and taken to the North Eleuthera police station where he admitted to the offences.
During the hearing, Sweeting’s attorney, Ian Cargill, told the magistrate his client was a fisherman who had “legitimately purchased” the items in the States. He said the accused admitted his wrongdoing, because he understands that marijuana is still illegal in the country.
As a result, Magistrate McKinney accepted Sweeting’s guilty pleas and fined him $7,000 or six months behind bars.
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