Police made drugs sting arrest at hotel bar, trial told
By Elizabeth Roberts
Undercover Police mounted a sting in a hotel bar to apprehend an alleged participant in a cannabis importation plot, Supreme Court has heard.
Opening the case against Damon Francis yesterday, prosecutor Takiyah Burgess explained the stake-out came after Anthony Isaac a passenger on the Norwegian Dawn cruise ship was found with 32 packages of cannabis in his cabin.
It's alleged that 32-year-old Francis, from Warwick, was contacted by Mr. Isaac when he reached Bermuda.
Francis is charged with conspiring in Bermuda and elsewhere "with persons unknown" to import cannabis. He denies the charge.
Ms Burgess explained that after Mr. Isaac arrived on the Norwegian Dawn on June 17, Police noticed him acting suspiciously after he disembarked in Dockyard. He was going from phone booth to phone booth in an apparent attempt to contact someone.
After Mr. Isaac re-boarded the ship, they searched his cabin and found 32 packages of cannabis in his suitcase and under his bed. They also found a piece of paper in his wallet with a cell phone number written on it.
Ms Burgess continued: "He was interviewed by the Police and was very co-operative. The next day, he was escorted by Police to the Fairmont Southampton and used a pay phone to call this number. Someone answered and engaged in a conversation with Mr. Isaac, and arrangements were then made to meet at the Jasmine Lounge."
Ms Burgess explained that a Police officer attended the Jasmine Lounge, which is located within the Fairmont Southampton hotel, pretending to be Mr. Isaac. He took up a position at the bar with a black knapsack and Francis then walked in.
"Mr. Francis engaged in a conversation with an undercover Police officer who was pretending to be Mr. Isaac and the question of money payment came up," she said.
"When asked if he had the money, the defendant said he had to go and get it, and got up to leave the bar, and was arrested by other Police officers who were sitting at the bar."
Ms Burgess said that at the time of Francis' arrest, a cell phone number was found on him. This was the same number found on Mr. Isaac, which he'd dialled from the hotel payphone.
She also told the jury it's not necessary for the Crown to prove that Francis met with anyone to concoct the alleged scheme to import cannabis.
Francis is on bail and the case continues.
