The Tribune

By LAMECH JOHNSON

Tribune Staff Reporter

ljohnson@tribunemedia.net

THREE of five defendants in an $850,000 drug-smuggling plot were convicted of the four drug charges they faced in Magistrate’s Court.

Lathario Rose, 39, of Rupert Dean Lane; David Colebrooke, 51, of Jasmine Gardens; and Dwayne Henderson, 44 of Prince Charles Drive were found guilty by Deputy Chief Magistrate Carolita Bethell of the following charges: possession of dangerous drugs with intent to supply, important of dangerous drugs, conspiracy to import dangerous drugs and conspiracy to possess dangerous drugs with intent to supply.

Nathaniel Higgs, 29, of North Eleuthera and Jason Major, 28, of East Street South were acquitted of the charges that were alleged to have committed on March 2, 2011.

The five men were accused of conspiring together to bring 852 pounds of marijuana into the Bahamas.

Defence Force officers, on the day in question, found packages of marijuana dumped in Bahamian waters and the defendants on a boat in the Ragged Island chain.

Trial commenced in June 2011 and concluded yesterday with Deputy Chief Magistrate Bethell finding Rose, also known as Dion Minnis, guilty along with Colebrooke and Henderson.

Colebrooke, who up until three months ago was on the run, was sentenced to four years in prison. Henderson received three years while Rose received three years and six months for his part in the plot.

Rose is already serving five years at Her Majesty’s Prison after being convicted last August for his involvement in a $6 million drug smuggling operation in 2009. That conviction is being appealed.