Cocaine found in coffee and festival mix

A British woman who was reportedly held with more than seven pounds of cocaine, hidden inside packages of coffee and festival mix, was offered $2 million bail when she appeared in the St James Parish Court last Wednesday.

Fifty-six-year-old Marjolaine Gayle, of Nottingham, England, and Bushy Park, St Catherine, addresses, is charged with possession of, dealing in, and attempting to export cocaine.

Allegations are that on February 14, Gayle checked in at the Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay to board a Thompson flight destined for London, England. While there, her luggage was searched and six packages labelled as coffee and festival mix were found.

The packages were examined and a powdery substance was found and later identified as cocaine, weighing seven pounds and 2.06 ounces. Gayle was subsequently arrested and charged.

During Gayle’s bail application last Wednesday, her attorney, Christopher Townsend, told presiding judge Sandria Wong-Small that his client may have been set up by a man she was involved with at the time.

“My client travelled here to Jamaica, and having met a gentleman, travelled here again. She went to the supermarket with the gentleman, but it seems he switched the items in the suitcase,” said Townsend. “She has cooperated with the police, and prior to this, she’s had no previous convictions anywhere in the world.”

The court was also told that the forensic certificate would be ready in six weeks’ time.

Wong-Small offered bail to Gayle in the sum of $2 million with three sureties, and ordered her to report to the Old Harbour Police Station in St Catherine twice per week.

The case will be mentioned again on May 2.