Woman nabbed with cannabis in cereal boxes

Chauncey resident Luzzetta Bowens broke into tears yesterday, as she pleaded guilty to possession of 1,880 grammes (four pounds) of marijuana, which she had hidden in two boxes of corn flakes.{{more}}

When Bowens appeared at the Kingstown Magistrate’s Court on May 19, she was fined $1,800, to be paid in full by August 30, or she will spend six months in jail.

According to the facts, on May 17, 2014, at about 10:35 a.m., a police officer was on duty at gate seven of the Grenadines wharf, when Bowens approached and asked if she could pass through the gate.

The officer told her that the entrance was mainly for vehicles, but he would allow her to enter. Checks were made on a bag she was carrying, but nothing illegal was found.

The 38-year-old woman then proceeded closer to the wharf, close to one of the vessels, while the officer kept her under observation.

Bowens then came back to where the officer was and asked if she could go back outside to receive a parcel.

The single mother of four was allowed to do so and when she returned about two minutes later carrying a bag, the officer informed her that he would have to search it.

While the search was being conducted, Bowens ran, but was caught by the officer and brought back to a booth at the wharf. The search of the bag turned up two corn flakes boxes containing three taped packages of marijuana.

When cautioned, Bowens told officers “Officer, me does plant vegetables close by the river and the river is next to me vegetable farm. I go down dey and meet dem dey. I put them in a corn flakes box and was going to Bequia to make a hustle… Officer give me ah chance; I have four pickeney to mind.”

In court, the teary eyed woman, who said she is the single mother of children, 19, 15, 16 and six years old, said it is very hard on her financially, and that she was sorry for her actions.

Magistrate Rechanne Browne-Matthias said she understood Bowens’ situation, but noted that trying to sell marijuana was not the way to go.

“To your credit, you have no previous conviction. I am going to impose a fine…. Your children must complete their secondary education and you must encourage them to excel. They must be able to lift you out of that state you are in,” Browne-Matthias said.(KW)