Magistrate Priya Beharry yesterday ordered that a man who had behaved disorderly at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA), Timehri while narcotics ranks were conducting a routine search, pay a fine of $10,000 or spend two weeks in prison.

Cobein Malcolm Welch pleaded guilty to a charge which stated that on August 27 at the CJIA he behaved disorderly.

The prosecution stated that at about 5:30 hours that day, Welch who was an outgoing passenger on a Caribbean Airlines flight was stopped by narcotics ranks who were conducting routine searches on the passengers.

The prosecution said that Welch objected to the search and started to shout at the ranks telling them that he was not a “drug pusher”, and throughout the search Welch behaved disorderly.

Meanwhile, Welch’s lawyer stated that the ranks at the airport had “stereotyped” his client.

He said that his client had simply responded to a comment made by the ranks but  he regrets the incident.
Welch  stated that when he gave the airline clerk his passport she observed that it was a Jamaican passport and became “excited” and started calling several persons including the ranks to have a look at it.

He said that the ranks then told him that they suspected  he was carrying drugs and  proceeded to search him.
He went on to say that he had complied with the ranks all the while, taking off his shoes and allowing them to go through his luggage and all they found were his school books and other documents.

He said that when the ranks told him that they were taking him off his flight to send him to the hospital to be checked out  he began to shout.

He noted that the ranks took him into a room and ordered him to take off his jersey and one of them felt his abdomen and “told me that he suspects that I swallowed the drugs and that’s when I told them that I am not a drug dealer and that I’m a student.”

He said that he continued to say this and  they subsequently told him that he was being arrested and would  be charged for behaving disorderly.

“This situation has cost me a lot of time and money to rebook my flight,” Welch later noted.