A police constable who was allegedly held with 47 pounds of ganja and over $900,000 in his motor vehicle, was refused bail when he appeared in the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate’s Court last Friday.

Forty-three-year-old Robert Roach, who is assigned to the Central Police Station, was allegedly held with the drugs on June 7 along the Palisadoes main road in Kingston.

He was subsequently charged with possession of, dealing in, taking steps to export, and trafficking in ganja.

According to the police report, on the day in question Roach was travelling along the Palisadoes main road in the vicinity of the Norman Manley International Airport when he was stopped by officers.

Roach’s vehicle was searched and 14 parcels of compressed ganja were allegedly found along with US$7,000 and over J$100,000.

On Friday when he appeared in court, Roach pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Attorney Able-Don Foote Jnr, in his attempt to obtain bail for Roach, told Senior Magistrate Judith Pusey that the accused was innocent and that the ganja was not his.

The attorney told the court that the accused was given a sealed box to deliver to someone at the Maritime Institute, but when he arrived at the institute people could not get in contact with the individual to make the delivery.

“He has never been in trouble with the law before; he has been an officer for over 25 years, suffice to say he is a family man,” Foote said, adding that his client had cooperated with the police.

Roach is scheduled to return to court on June 19.