ST JAMES, Jamaica – St James businessman Rohan Cummings, who was held with US$850,000 (J$130,008,520) worth of cocaine inside a bus he was driving in March 2022, has been found guilty of breaching the Dangerous Drugs Act.

Cummings was charged with possession, dealing, trafficking, and conspiracy to traffic 17 kilograms of cocaine. He was found guilty on the first three charges, but no evidence was offered on the conspiracy charge.

Trial judge Kaysha Grant-Pryce, who delivered the verdict, said that her decision was supported by the prosecution’s evidence that Cummings was aware that cocaine was being concealed on the Toyota Hiace minibus he was operating on the day of his arrest.

“In this case, which is of utmost importance, the court has in fact established that the accused man had cocaine in his possession and that he knew that what he had was in fact cocaine. There is nothing to say that this man never had control of this vehicle all the while, and there is inconsistent with the evidence given by the Crown,” said Grant-Pryce.

The judge also responded to a statement made by Cummings’ lawyer, Henry McCurdy, who claimed that his client borrowed the bus to transport painting materials because his own vehicle had broken down, and that he had no idea there was cocaine in the bus.

“You are borrowing a bus because your vehicle is ‘bucking.’ People you do not know are loading items into the vehicle, and you never even looked into the back of the vehicle at all?” Grant Pryce asked.

Grant stated that it is strange that he drove his vehicle, which had a history of problems, for a bargain of $130,000 [the cost of the painting materials], but that the value of the cocaine alone indicates that someone had a vested interest in it.

Cummings’ bail was then extended until October 4 to allow time for a social enquiry report and an antecedent report to be prepared before his sentencing hearing.

In accordance with court records, Cummings was pulled over by police on Long Hill in St James on March 7, 2022, at 2:45 pm. The bus was searched and the cocaine was found in the left-hand and right-hand panels of the vehicle.

The cocaine was reportedly found wrapped in 16 packages.

Under caution, Cummings claimed that he had borrowed the bus in order to pay a visit to his granddaughter. He was taken into custody and interviewed, following which he was arrested and charged with breaching the Dangerous Drugs Act.