Linden man jailed for 3 years and fined $1.8M on ‘ganja’ charge

A 22-year-old One Mile Extension, Wismar Linden, resident was on Tuesday sentenced to three years imprisonment and slapped with a $1.8 million fine for trafficking cannabis.

Gavin Martin appeared before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan at the Diamond Magistrate’s Court and pleaded guilty to the charge which alleged that on December 24, 2021, at Peters Hall East Bank Demerara, he had 2.280 kilograms of cannabis in his possession for the purpose of trafficking.

The Chief Magistrate, after considering that Martin did not waste the court’s time, sentenced him to serve three years imprisonment along with a fine of $1.8M.

According to reports, ranks from the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) arrested Martin within the vicinity of the Demerara Harbour Bridge with a salt bag containing five parcels of cannabis.

At the time of his arrest, Martin gave his first name as ‘Emmanuel’ and was taken to CANU headquarters where the cannabis was weighed. The suspect’s brother, who is a serving member of the Joint Services, later reached out to CANU and said his brother used his name, and the suspect’s real name was ‘Gavin.’