drugs

More than a week ago, twenty-one Chinese nationals were taken into police custody for 68 kilos of cocaine found on board their vessel. But they were never charged and remanded to the Bahamas Department of Corrections, which is procedural.

The 68 kilos of cocaine were reported to be valued at $1.3 million and were discovered on a cargo vessel at Nassau Container Port. The Royal Bahamas Police Force in collaboration with the United States Department of Homeland Security intercepted the group.

Police Press Liaison Officer Audley Peters said twenty men and one woman were arrested after their arrival from South America. Peters said the police would further their investigations.

But we heard nothing more.

CSJ Report understands the country’s correctional institution made preparations like organizing the prison cells to receive the large group, but their efforts were fruitless since the Chinese nationals were never imprisoned for the drug find.

Questions arise: Were they given special treatment? Were they deported instead of facing charges?

Photo Credit: The Tribune

A 25-year-old woman faced the court today and pleaded guilty to posing as a lawyer to smuggle drugs into the Bahamas Department of Corrections.

Warnika Russell of Zion Boulevard appeared before Deputy Chief Magistrate Andrew Forbes charged with two counts of evading the requirements of the law by having and uttering a forged document and two counts of possession of Indian Hemp with the intention to supply.

Russell was sentenced to 1 year and three months in prison.

What happened?

• Russell presented the Bar Association identification to guards, in the name of a professional lawyer, on Friday.
• Russell was visiting her boyfriend, Stephen Greene who is serving a 15-year sentence for armed robbery.
• Guards became suspicious and called the police when they realized the illegitimacy of the identification.
• It was discovered Russell had visited the prison eleven other times using the ID of a lawyer to gain access to the prison and deliver contraband items like drugs and cellphones.
• Police found 2.6 pounds of drugs on Russell attached to her abdomen.
• Russell said she was promised three-thousand dollars to deliver the drugs to Greene.

Featured Image: EWN