WHILE conducting a cordon and search exercise at the Five Miles, Arakaka, North West District residence and shop of Errol Belgrave on October 26, a party of policemen allegedly found a total of 494.7 grams of cannabis.

According to the police, when ranks arrived at the location around 07:25 hrs, they asked the 55-year-old businessman to search his shop and he consented.

“While searching the shop, a brown box on the floor containing several black plastic bags was observed. Upon searching inside the box, a bulky black plastic bag containing a quantity of leaves, seeds, and stems suspected to be cannabis was found. Belgrave stated, ‘It’s just a small amount I got, buddy.’

“A further search inside the same box unearthed two other bulky black plastic bags – one containing several small transparent ziploc bags with leaves, seeds, and stems suspected to be cannabis, and the other contained an additional quantity of leaves, seeds, and stems suspected to be cannabis.

“Belgrave was told of the suspicion and offence committed and cautioned, to which he replied, ‘I does sell some of this thing, and the rest I does boil for my son cause he’s trouble with asthma.’

“He was arrested and escorted, along with the suspected cannabis to Arakaka Police Outpost, where the suspected narcotics were weighed in his presence and amounted to 494.7 grams. The suspected narcotics were then sealed, marked, and lodged,” police said in a statement.

Belgrave was later cautioned and submitted a statement under caution.

He was then documented and placed into custody.

Investigations are ongoing.