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Family seized in $4M cocaine bust

Arthur McNeil Stubbs Sr, 44, of Queens Highway, West End. Photo: Shawn Hanna

Arthur McNeil Stubbs Sr, 44, of Queens Highway, West End. Photo: Shawn Hanna

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Helena Sherrell Stubbs (left), and Naomi Rochella Woodside (right), who are charged with possession of dangerous drugs with intent to supply. Photo: Shawn Hanna

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Ruth Charlene Woodside (centre left), and Silia Woodside (centre right). Photo: Shawn Hanna

By LAMECH JOHNSON

Tribune Staff Reporter

ljohnson@tribunemedia.net

TWO men and four women appeared in Magistrate’s Court yesterday accused of having custody of $4m worth of cocaine.

Arthur McNeil Stubbs, 44, stood before Deputy Chief Magistrate Andrew Forbes facing a charge of possession of dangerous drugs with intent to supply concerning a seizure that occurred on June 26 in Grand Bahama.

It is alleged that Stubbs, being concerned with his 22-year-old son Arthur Jr, twins Naomi and Ruth Woodside, 53, Helena Stubbs, 44, and Silia Woodside, 25, were found at West End in possession of a quantity of cocaine with intent to supply the same.

The charge against the six accused was contrary to Section 22(1) of the Dangerous Drugs Act, Chapter 228.

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Arthur McNeil Stubbs Jr, 22, of Queens Highway, West End. Photo: Shawn Hanna

According to police reports, officers acted on information and executed a search warrant on a home in West End that led to the discovery of 471.5 pounds of cocaine.

The discovery resulted in a man’s arrest. In yesterday’s arraignment, all six accused pleaded not guilty to the charge against them.

They were told that they would be remanded to the Department of Correctional Services without bail before their October 12 trial.

Their lawyer, Carlson Shurland, asked the magistrate to exercise discretion concerning the 53-year-old twins who, he said, were hypertensive.

The deputy chief magistrate stressed that the Bail Act was clear that his court did not have the jurisdiction to consider bail and that he should make his arguments before a Supreme Court judge in a bail application.

If convicted, the accused could face up to seven years behind bars.

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