St James Petrojam worker allegedly held with over 200 bullets granted $400,000 bail

An employee of the state-owned oil refinery Petrojam who was allegedly held with more than 200 rounds of ammunition for a high-calibre assault rifle during a sting operation in Montego Bay, St James, earlier this month has been granted bail.

Vachel Whitter, 40, a terminal technician at Petrojam’s Montego Bay Terminal, was granted $450,000 bail when he appeared in the Western Regional Gun Court on Monday, his attorney, Donnovan Collins, confirmed.

He was also ordered not to interfere with witnesses in the case.

Whitter has been charged with possession of a prohibited weapon, unauthorised possession of ammunition, possession of a prohibited weapon with intent to traffic and trafficking in a prohibited weapon.

He was arrested on August 6 after cops from the National Strategic Anti-Gang Division intercepted his vehicle in Fairview, Montego Bay.

A search of the vehicle allegedly revealed a total of 228 rounds of 7.62 ammunition used in AK-47 rifles.

Investigators alleged that the ammunition was found in six plastic bags inside a brown paper bag.

It is alleged that the bullets were being illegally sold.

Whitter is to return to court on November 26.

He could face additional charges after cops allegedly found a gun, more than 100 rounds of ammunition and gun accessories inside his locker at the Petrojam Montego Bay Terminal during a secondary operation.

Whitter is also represented by attorney-at-law Rodain Richardson.

- Livern Barrett

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