By PAVEL BAILEY
Tribune Court Reporter
pbailey@tribunemedia.net
A MAN was sentenced to three years in prison yesterday in connection with a $3.8m marijuana drug bust off Andros in 2018.
Patrick Bain, 40, of Grand Bahama, represented by attorney Ian Cargill, stood before Magistrate Samuel McKinney for the conclusion of his trial on a charge of possession of dangerous drugs with intent to supply.
On October 25, 2018, Bain being concerned with two other males, was found with over 3,000 lbs of Indian hemp.
Shortly after 3pm, Drug Enforcement Unit officers, assisted by Marine Support officers, US Drug Enforcement agents and the US Coast Guard, intercepted a 32ft midnight express go-fast boat in waters off South Andros, with Bain and two others onboard.
Officers conducted a search of the vessel and recovered 84 bags of marijuana, weighing 3,870 pounds and yielding an estimated value of $3,870,000.
Throughout his trial, Bain maintained his position of innocence.
After the prosecution and defence presented their cases, upon reviewing the evidence Magistrate McKinney found Bain guilty.
After citing that his client works as a fisherman and in construction, Mr Cargill asked that the court be as lenient as possible in its sentencing.
Before sentencing, Magistrate McKinney cited the potential risk these drugs would have had on the community if they hadn’t been seized by police.
As such and in view of the substantial number of drugs involved, the magistrate sentenced Bain to serve a three-year sentence at the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services.
The drugs were ordered to be destroyed.
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