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Drugs money found in man’s home

A Sandys man this morning admitted having more than 120 grams of cannabis and $115,000 in cash hidden inside his home.

Darnell Pinkney, 40, pleaded guilty in Magistrates’ Court to both possessing cannabis with intent to supply and having the proceeds of criminal activity.

The court heard that on May 29, 2012, police carried out a search on the Church Valley Lane, Sandys home that Pinkney shared with his girlfriend.

Speaking to police, Pinkney admitted that there was cash and cannabis in the house but said the drugs were only for his personal use and the cash was the result of years of saving.

The search revealed 120.28g of plant material stored in several bottles and jars around the house, along with three grinders, two ledgers containing names and phone numbers and a digital video recorder.

The drugs seized, if sold in Bermuda, could fetch as much as $6,025 if sold in half gram twists or $2,400 if sold by the ounce, said prosecutor Garrett Byrne.

Officers also found a safe which, when opened, contained $110,613 in mixed US and Bermuda currency. Another $4,330 was found in the pocket of a brown jacket.

Pinkney was arrested and when interviewed by police admitted the plant material was cannabis but insisted that it was all for his own use. He told officers that he would normally smoke “a quarter of weed” every two days and would occasionally share it with friends at his house.

He also told officers that he had been unable to work full time since he was injured in a traffic collision in 2010 but that the money found in the property was raised over the course of years of saving by himself and his girlfriend.

Police examined the digital video recorder, which they found had been used as a security camera. In the week of footage captured by the device, Mr Byrne said a total of 112 people visited Pinkney’s house and purchased cannabis.

The court heard that while Pinkney had been convicted of other offences in the past, he had no previous drug convictions and had no convictions at all recorded against him since 2007.

Pinkney had also signed a forfeiture agreement, allowing the $114,943.96 seized by police to be added to the confiscated assets fund.

Acting Senior Magistrate Khamisi Tokunbo ordered a social inquiry report and a drug assessment on Pinkney, releasing him on bail until late next month for sentencing. He also ordered that Pinkney surrender all travel documents and check in at Somerset Police Station on a weekly basis as part of his bail conditions.