British man allegedly held at airport with US dollars in shampoo bottles granted $1 million bail

Trevor Whyte, the British man who allegedly entered Jamaica with over US$130,000, the equivalent of J$20 million, hidden in bottles labelled "Head & Shoulders Anti-Dandruff Shampoo and Conditioner" was today granted $1 million bail in the St James Parish Court.

Whyte, 42, who resides in Enfield, London, and White House in Westmoreland, was ordered to the Bluefields Police Station twice per week, according to his attorney Able-Don Foote.

Whyte, who is charged with possession of criminal property, cross border movement of funds, and attempted bribery, was also ordered to surrender his travel documents to the police.

Foote indicated in his bail application that his client is a father of six children between the ages of two and 17 and is also a musical artist who owns a recording studio.

The attorney said his client’s family life would “suffer” if he was not admitted to bail because he is the primary breadwinner.

He is scheduled to return to court on June 27.

Whyte was arrested at the Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay, St James shortly after he arrived in Jamaica on May 1 on-board a Virgin Atlantic flight from London, the Financial Investigations Division (FID) disclosed on Monday.

He was reportedly selected for routine inspection after he entered the “nothing to declare” customs channel.

The FID said that during the scanning of his luggage, abnormalities were detected, which prompted a physical search.

It alleged that the search revealed three suspicious bottles labelled as “Head & Shoulders Anti-Dandruff Shampoo and Conditioner” with a total of US$130,490 concealed in plastic wrap.

- Livern Barrett

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