One of two Westmoreland men held in alleged Mandela Highway drug bust gets $700,000 bail

One of two men who were arrested and charged following the alleged seizure of cocaine and ganja during a traffic stop along the Mandela Highway in St Catherine has been granted $700,000 bail with surety.

Lenford Ferguson, a tiler of New Works, Westmoreland, is charged with possession of cocaine and ganja, dealing in cocaine and ganja, and trafficking cocaine and ganja.

Ferguson and his co-accused, Donald Baugh, a farmer, appeared before the St Catherine Parish Court on Tuesday.

Bail was refused for Baugh by Acting Parish Court Judge Janelle Nelson-Gayle, who noted that he had breached the Bail Act.

He was further informed that bail was denied because Baugh was arrested while on bail for a similar offence.

The matter is scheduled to be mentioned again on May 26.

Allegations are that about 5:25 p.m. on March 4, members of the Firearms and Narcotics Investigation Division (FNID) were conducting an operation along the Mandela Highway in St Catherine when a Toyota Allion motor car driven by Ferguson, with Baugh as a passenger, was signalled to stop. 

The driver complied.

According to the police, an initial check reportedly revealed a ziplock bag containing small packages of ganja. 

The police further reported that a further search of the vehicle and the spare tyre allegedly uncovered a rectangular package containing a white powdery substance resembling cocaine.

The substance reportedly weighed 2.3 pounds and was tested and found to be cocaine, the police reported.

The forensic certificate remains outstanding.

Both men were subsequently arrested and charged with possession of cocaine and ganja, dealing in cocaine and ganja, and trafficking cocaine and ganja.

- Rasbert Turner

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