A 33-year-old market vendor was on Monday remanded to prison for allegedly having a quantity of cannabis at his Stabroek Market stall for the purpose of trafficking.

John Wray, a resident of Norton Street, Georgetown, appeared before Principal Magistrate, Sherdel Isaacs-Marcus at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court and denied the drug-trafficking charge.

Particulars of the charge allege that on January 6, 2023, ranks from the Criminal Investigations Department (CID), acting on information, went to Stabroek Market. Upon arrival, the ranks said they saw Wray acting suspiciously while holding a bulky, black plastic bag.

The officers conducted a search and allegedly found a quantity of suspected cannabis in the bag. Wray was arrested and taken to police station where the 193 grammes of cannabis was weighed in his presence.

The police prosecutor told the court that the defendant admitted to trafficking the cannabis, claiming that he “does hustle it,’ and that it was “just a lil half pound.”

He was represented by attorney Stacy Goodings who made an application for reasonable bail with conditions. The police prosecutor objected to bail on the ground that the cannabis had a high street value.

After listening to both sides, Magistrate Isaacs-Marcus remanded the defendant to prison until January 23, 2022.