Fisherman fined $30K for cannabis trafficking

A Christ Church fisherman has been fined $30 000 after admitting to trafficking more than 70 kilogrammes of cannabis within Barbados’ territorial waters.

Troy Decourcey Best, of Inch Marlow, Christ Church, had previously appeared before Justice Anthony Blackman in Supreme Court No. 3A and admitted that on January 18, 2019, he possessed, trafficked and imported 71.6 kilogrammes of cannabis.  

The court heard that the Coast Guard received information about a fishing vessel and, whilst on patrol, saw the boat with two persons on board heading in their direction. But the boat immediately turned away when the Coast Guard turned on its strobe lights, heading back in the direction it had come, with the occupants throwing packages into the sea. The Coast Guard brought their vessel alongside the boat and instructed the captain of the Moses-type boat to stop, and he complied.  

The men were arrested and four polythene bags and one empty bag were recovered from the water.  

When asked to give an account, Best told officers: “Them is mine. I receive them from another boat that come and pass them off to me. I went 11 miles or so out and collect them.”  

Best, who attorney Kristin Vanderpool represented, was reprimanded and discharged on the possession charge, and convicted, reprimanded and discharged on the importation charge.  

Justice Blackman ordered that he pay the $30 000 for the trafficking offence in 12 months, failing which he will spend 1 703 days in prison.  

Principal State Counsel Joyann Catwell and State Counsel Treann Knight prosecuted the case.