Four years jail, $2.3M fine for 6lbs of ganja

Ryan Marks was on Wednesday sentenced to four years imprisonment and slapped with a fine of $2.3 million for trafficking over two kilograms of cannabis while his co-accused was remanded to prison for the same offence.

Marks, 27, with no fixed place of abode, and Akeem Henry, 25, of Bent Street, Werk-en-Rust, Georgetown, appeared virtually before Magistrate Judy Latchman, who sits at the Diamond/Grove Magistrates’ Court.

Particulars of the charge alleged that the duo on June 14, 2022, at Orange Walk, Bourda, had 2.650 kilograms (six pounds) of cannabis in their possession for the purpose of trafficking.

Marks pleaded guilty to the charge, while Henry entered a not guilty plea.

Magistrate Latchman, after considering the seriousness and nature of the offense, sentenced Marks to four years imprisonment and imposed the fine.

Henry was remanded to prison until July 20, 2022.  The duo was arrested after ranks from the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) conducted an operation in the area.

It is alleged that they were nabbed with a bag containing five “brick-like” parcels of cannabis.

Marks, when arrested, admitted ownership of narcotics, which has a street value of GY$800,000.