ST JAMES, Jamaica— St James businessman, Oral Johnson, who was charged following the seizure of approximately 24 pounds of cocaine in Coral Gardens, Montego Bay, was granted bail in the St James Parish Court on Wednesday.

Johnson, 43, from Garden District, Westmoreland, was granted $1.5 million with up to two sureties.

Conditions to his bail are that he is to report to the Whitehouse police station on Fridays and Saturdays between 6:00 am and 8:00 pm. He is also to surrender his travel documents.

A stop order has also been placed at all ports. The matter is to return to court on July 7, 2022.

Johnson was charged on May 3 with possession of cocaine, dealing in cocaine, taking steps to export cocaine and trafficking cocaine.

Circumstances are that on Tuesday, April 26, a motorcar the accused was driving was intercepted by the police in the Coral Gardens area of St James.

During a search of the vehicle, the cocaine, with an estimated street value of US$550,000 or J$82.5 million, was found and seized.

READ: MoBay businessman charged after multi-million-dollar cocaine seizure

Johnson was then arrested on reasonable suspicion for breaches of the Dangerous Drugs Act. The subsequent investigation resulted in him being formally charged.