Man charged with trafficking marijuana in Toco/Matura

A Laventille man appeared yesterday before  Sangre Grande Magistrate Cheryl Ann Blake charged with trafficking 18 pounds of cured marijuana valued $48,000 after a Sunday night roadblock. According to reports, officers of the Toco Police Station set up a roadblock in front the station at around 5.50 pm, when a car approached and then sped off in a westerly direction. The officers gave chase and contacted the Matura police where another roadblock was set up. On reaching the roadblock the driver tried to reverse but ran into the on-coming Toco police. The car was searched and the illegal drugs found on the back seat. Rawson Welch, 35, of Blondelle Alley, East Dry River, Upper Laventille yesterday appeared before the magistrate and pleaded not guilty. He was placed on $250,000 bail. The matter was adjourned to July 21. Charges were laid by Constable Lutchman.

At the Tunapuna court, Magistrate Gloria Jasmath sentenced  Shiva Dalipsingh, 18, to three years hard labour after he pleaded guilty to larceny of $12,000 worth of jewelry from Opnet International Ltd at the  Grand Bazaar, Uriah Butler Highway and Solomon Hochoy Highway intersection. According to the report read to the court on Wednesday last, Dalipsingh walked into the jewelry store, asked to see a quantity of jewelry, grabbed a pair of gold chains and rings and ran off. The police held two men who accompanied Dalipsingh to the store. They then went to a car owned by one of the men in the parking lot, where they found Dalipsingh hiding with the jewelry in his hands. In passing judgment, Jasmath chastised the teen for what he did and added that it was because of youths like him businessmen were fleeing the country. She also added that no crime is a good crime. The matters against the other two men were adjourned to July 15. Charges were laid by PC Shawn Penjulia.