30 Year Old Man Admits Importing Cannabis

September 30, 2014

A 30 year old man appeared in Magistrates Court today [Sept 30] and was remanded into custody after pleading guilty to importing cannabis.

Joshua Stovell was remanded into custody after pleading guilty to importing 679 grams of cannabis and possessing a grinder fitted for use with the controlled drug. The Crown offered no evidence on a charge that he possessed the illegal substance with intent to supply.

Prosecutor Susan Mulligan told Senior Magistrate Archie Warner that Stovell, who is an American but who also possesses Bermudian Status, arrived on a flight from Boston on 22 August 2014. His suitcase was indicated by the police K9 sniffer dog and Stovell was sent to be searched.

The search turned up 679 grams of cannabis. The Prosecutor told the Magistrate that Stovell told Police that the cannabis had in the US and was bringing it in for his personal use in Bermuda because it was too expensive in Bermuda.

Stovell’s lawyer told the Magistrate that Stovell had used his cousin prescription for medical marijuana to purchase the marijuana at an outlet in the USA, and the marijuana had cost $1,800 in the US.

Stovell’s lawyer denied the prosecution’s statement that he had told police that he intended to sell some if the cannabis to his workmates so as to reduce his costs.

Stovell’s lawyer also told the Magistrate that Stovell had been a regular user since he was 16 and that he currently smoked  cannabis about 4 – 5 times every day.

The Senior Magistrate indicated that he would like to consider the matter of sentencing further and remanded Stovell into custody and required him to re-appear tomorrow morning.

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Comments (22)

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  1. Dominque says:

    These people are in need and require this for their healthy. When will the people of Bermuda show some humanity.

    • Walks like a Duck says:

      If you believe that story I have a bridge to sell you in Somerset. Check to see how many times he likes to come to Bermuda. Most people in this type of business like to come every month. Then think to yourself how many times do you travel in a year!

      I can only afford to travel 2 times in this economy, but if he is traveling every month all I can say is if it looks like a duck and walks/quack/flies etc. like a duck, it is a duck!

  2. Onion says:

    Time to change the law. Wrecking this guy’s life because he has a problem isn’t going to solve anything.

    • serengeti says:

      What “problem” has he got? I thought cannabis was supposed to be non-addictive?

      • Creamy says:

        But then you wouldn’t have to feel sorry for the drug smuggler.

      • Family Man says:

        I’d say he’s been “dealing” with his problem quite well until now.

      • Onion says:

        Cannabis is habit forming. What you were taught 20 years ago was wrong.

        • Creamy says:

          He was being ironic. The pro-cannabis people will tell you it’s non-addictive and harmless. But then when someone gets caught smuggling it we all have to feel sorry for him because he has a “problem”.

  3. Island Princess says:

    If you read the story correctly, Mr. Stovell (allegedly)fraudulently used his COUSIN’s prescription to obtain the drugs for his (Mr. Stovell’s) personal use it doesn’t say HE needed it for his health.

    • Bermy says:

      As the comment states above dude got the herb fraudulently. I am all for legalisation and compassion for medical users but if that is the case play by the rules!

    • sage says:

      Oh well, hang him then. Obviously he planned to sell it to our nursery school kids, causing ODD (oppositional defiant disorder) and no respect for authority which would result in the downfall of humanity as we know it (a bunch of brainwashed sheep mindlessly following anything someone in a suit and tie tells them).

      • Keepin' it Real!...4Real! says:

        yo sage…i know you must be tired of swimming against this S#!t tide of absolute numb skulls, coz i know i am…i’ve had it with this mentality of these unintelligent clones just spouting off at the mouth repeating their unsubstantiated opinions(which we all have a right to, mind you)which to me, sounds like a case of discrimination(isn’t that immoral, unethical, and illegal?), i just hope for your sake that they never make something that you like…illegal.

        oh by the way…incase you didnt know…Politicians are afraid to legalize because of three words…DRUG WAR PROFITEERS…cannabis is the next big TOBACCO industry…so…you really don’t think that they are going to let you or i become billionaires of this LOOMING MEGA INDUSTRY…so much to learn so little time…oh well to each his own.

        • Creamy says:

          Nah. It’s because they don’t want our kids addicted to drugs.

          • more than enough says:

            Alcohol on the other hand you don’t mind our children getting addicted to or cigarettes.
            Government gets a piece out of these sales so its ok.

  4. Smart Gal says:

    Do any of you know how 679 grams is? 24.25 ounces. I doubt if he got this much on a prescription. If he paid $1,800.00 that’s about $75 an ounce. Sounds too cheap to me even at Washington State prices of $15.00 a gram that’s $420.00 an ounce and that’s pre-tax !!

  5. Terry says:

    Key words here are “his cousin”.
    Whether male or female his cousin don’t reside in Bermuda.

    Purely for sale here.
    And, if he used it 4-5 times a day here he must have had the monies.

    I need a vodka…….

  6. Keepin' it Real!...4Real! says:

    he mentions that he did it because of the exorbitant price of it here in bda…so maybe he was just trippin’ n turnin’…i don’t blame him…i blame the Govt…they are the ones who set the prices…and the sentences!…you all just can’t seem to compute that it’s all a big game of life BUT you aink a PLAYER you are just a game piece…you can do what ever you want but DON’T get caught…if you do jus pay yah fine or do your time…it’s like the coach puts you on the bench till HE feels you’re ready to continue with the game.

  7. more than enough says:

    This guy is remanded into custody, and the foreign worker/alleged molester is out on bail. The laws against herb need to go!
    Free joshua!

  8. more than enough says:

    This guy is remanded in custody, and the alleged foriegn worker/child molester is out on bail. The laws against herb need to go.
    Free joshua!

  9. The Grand Architect of the Universe! says:

    legalize it, the people demand it! do not punish this person!

    the time has come and the world has changed!

  10. Keepin' it Real!...4Real! says:

    Cannabis to be Made Legal as Jamaica Finally Ends Its Weed ‘Prohibition’
    Dominic Gover By Dominic Gover
    October 1, 2014 13:22 BST

    http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/cannabis-be-made-legal-jamaica-embraces-marijuana-1468065