– fined $7.9M

SHABEKA Spencer, a 39-year-old clothes vendor of Angoy’s Avenue, New Amsterdam, Berbice who was caught with a large quantity of cannabis, was on Thursday, sentenced to three years, nine months in prison and fined $7,900,000.

Spencer admitted to having 19.25 pounds (8.75 kilograms) of cannabis in her possession on April 5, 2023.

She was charged with Possession of Narcotics for the Purpose of Trafficking under Section 5(1)(a)(i) of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Control Act Chapter 10:10 and appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court before Chief Magistrate Ann Mc Lennan.

Police had disclosed in a press release that at about 17:45 hours on April 5, a team of ranks headed by the Officer-in -Charge of the Narcotics Branch, CID HQ, acting on intelligence received, proceeded to Vlissengen Road, Georgetown, where a motor vehicle in which the suspect was an occupant was intercepted.

“During the search, the ranks observed a black suitcase that was next to the suspect in the back passenger seat, where several packages suspected to be cannabis were wrapped in transparent plastic. The suspect was told of the allegation and cautioned,” the release said.

She was promptly arrested and taken to CID headquarters along with the 13 compact packages which were later were weighed.