Julien Winston of Ravine Banan Grand Bay was slapped with a $2,000.00 fine after he pleaded guilty on June 16, 2025, to one count of drug trafficking.
Brief facts
On Saturday, June 14, 2025, at about 4 pm, members of the Anti-Crime Task Force left Police Headquarters for mobile patrol duty in Roseau.
According to the facts disclosed in court, during the patrol on Victoria Street in Roseau, the police noticed a black Honda HR-V registration number TN006 approaching in a northerly direction on the said road. The vehicle was intercepted by the police, who informed him that they were conducting a “traffic check”. He was also asked if he had “illegal drugs in his possession,” and he replied, “Officer, a little zeb (meaning weed) I have in the transport.”
The police proceeded to search the vehicle and on the front passenger side of the vehicle, noticed a box marked “Kubuli” and when opening it found what appeared to be alleged cannabis.
Questioned about it, he replied, “But Officer, I told you that I had my little zeb in the transport.”
He was arrested on suspicion of having a quantity of more than 28 grams, as stipulated by law, in his possession. The search of the vehicle continued, but nothing else illegal was found. He and the vehicle were transported to police headquarters for safekeeping. He was then informed of his rights to a lawyer, and he replied, “I cannot afford a lawyer.”
In his presence, the drugs were weighed and amounted to 190 grams. The following day, a sample was also taken to the government analyst for testing, and the results returned “positive for cannabis.”
Mitigation
He told the court that he only had the drugs for his personal use and not for trafficking. He also begged for a fine instead of a custodial sentence.
Magistrate Laudat told him that he had not wasted the court’s time and was very open and cooperative with the police. He was fined $2,000.00 and given until September 30, 2025, to pay the fine, in default 6 months’ jail.