By Breaking Belize News Staff: An American entertainer, Elijah Quartey Mack, 25, of Fort Worth, Texas, learned an expensive lesson in Belizean drug laws after he was fined $2,700 for importing 387 grams of marijuana—almost a pound—into the country; after he was arrested just in February in the U.S. for the same offense.
Mack, who arrived in Belize on Delta Flight #1983 from Atlanta, Georgia on Monday, was caught with three vacuum-sealed bags of cannabis inside his grey suitcase during a customs inspection at the Philip S.W. Goldson International Airport. He told authorities he was visiting Belize for a five-day vacation to see his cousins.
Unrepresented in court, Mack appeared before a Senior Magistrate in Court #6, where he pleaded guilty to a single charge of importation of a controlled drug. He explained, “It was less than that — with the bags, it came up to 387 grams,” and added, “I didn’t mean to disrespect your country. In my country it’s different.”
Taking his remorse and family circumstances into account—Mack said he cares for a disabled brother—the magistrate imposed a non-custodial sentence. The fine, which initially started at $5,000, was reduced after several deductions for his early guilty plea and genuine apology.
Despite the reduction, Mack was ordered to pay the $2,700 fine forthwith, or face jail time. He managed to pay the full amount by 12 noon today.
The court noted that while previous offenders have faced even steeper penalties for smaller quantities, Mack’s expression of regret and cooperation spared him a prison sentence.
Before leaving court, Mack apologized to the country of Belize, saying he had learned his lesson and “would never do that again.”
However, Breaking Belize News has found that Mack indeed “did it again” because he was arrested for 2 ounces of marijuana just in February of this year in Texas.
The post Oops he did it again: American entertainer fined $2,700 for bringing almost 1 pound of weed into Belize and swears he will never do it again but just in February he was arrested for 2 ounces of weed in Texas appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
By Breaking Belize News Staff: An American entertainer, Elijah Quartey Mack, 25, of Fort Worth, Texas, learned an expensive lesson in Belizean drug laws after he was fined $2,700 for importing 387 grams of marijuana—almost a pound—into the country; after he was arrested just in February in the U.S. for the same offense. Mack, who
The post Oops he did it again: American entertainer fined $2,700 for bringing almost 1 pound of weed into Belize and swears he will never do it again but just in February he was arrested for 2 ounces of weed in Texas appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
