Manchester man freed of drug charges

Forty-nine-year-old Manchester resident, Anthony Murray, was freed of drug charges in the St Catherine Parish Court on Thursday.

During his appearance in court, his attorney Richard Lynch successfully applied for a dismissal of the matter, telling the court that the prosecution would find it difficult to prove its case.

Lynch told the court that three police witnesses who handled the exhibits could not testify in the matter.

Parish Judge Geneta Smikle then ordered the matter dismissed.

It is alleged that in April 2023, Murray was observed driving a Toyota Hiace motor truck along the PJ Patterson Highway in St Catherine.

He was signaled to stop and obeyed. The vehicle was searched and several boxes laden with canned goods were discovered.

These cans were checked and allegedly found to contain three pounds of cocaine and 558 pounds of ganja, with an estimated value of US$850,000.

Murray was arrested and subsequently charged with conspiracy, possession of ganja, dealing in ganja, attempting to export ganja and similar charges for the cocaine. He was also charged for allegedly attempting to bribe the police.

He has made numerous court appearances and maintained his innocence throughout.

- Rasbert Turner

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