Two of three men held in major ganja bust granted $1 million bail

Two of the three men arrested and charged earlier this month in connection with the seizure of nearly 2,000 pounds of compressed ganja have each been granted $1 million bail in the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court.

Patrick Branford and Nane Banton, who are charged with breaches of the Dangerous Drugs Act, were offered bail on Wednesday by Parish Judge Maxine Ellis, who imposed strict conditions.

They were ordered to surrender their travel documents, report regularly to the police, and had stop orders imposed against them.

The third accused, Leon Hines, had his bail application adjourned for continuation on September 19.

The three men were arrested following an operation by members of the Firearms and Narcotics Investigation Division on Spanish Town Road, Kingston 11, on August 15.

Branford and Banton were reportedly intercepted while travelling in a Toyota Hiace bus in which several knitted bags containing the ganja were allegedly found.

Hines, who was reportedly in a motor car piloting the duo to the Norman Manley International Airport, was also arrested.

During the hearing, the prosecutor strongly opposed bail, citing the serious nature of the offences and noting that some of the accused had provided caution statements admitting their involvement in the trafficking operation.

Banton and Branford are scheduled to reappear in court on September 19.

Attorney-at-law Kemar Robinson is representing Branford, while Pierre Rodgers is representing Banton.

Attorney-at-law Donovan Collins appeared for Hines.

- Tanesha Mundle

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