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A woman who said she was threatened and forced to carry cocaine was granted $500,000 bail in the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court on Thursday.
It is alleged that on September 1, Tashika Grant went to the Norman Manley International Airport in Kingston and checked in to board a JetBlue flight destined to Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Grant then allegedly said that three men came to her apartment and placed cocaine on her body and told her to give it to someone in Florida.
Grant was then cautioned by the police and asked if she knew the men; she said no. Grant told the police that she was threatened by the men to let them in to the apartment.
She could not provide the identity of the person who allegedly threatened her or how the men knew that she was travelling overseas.
The court heard that Grant voluntarily removed two parcels wrapped in transparent plastic from her breast, one parcel from her groin area, and one parcel from her vaginal cavity. All the parcels contained a white substance resembling cocaine and weighed 2 lbs, 3.19 ounces.
Grant did not enter a plea to the charges of possession of, dealing in, attempting to export and conspiracy to export cocaine. Prosecutors were opposed to bail, citing that Grant was aware that she was doing something illegal and deemed her a flight risk.
However, the judge offered Grant bail with at least two sureties. Grant was made the subject of a fingerprint order and a stop order was put in place at the island’s ports of entry and exit.
She was ordered to surrender her travel documents and to report to the police daily. The 30-year-old was also made the subject of a daily curfew. She is to return to court on October 27, when the matter is to be mentioned.
