More than five years after he was slapped with a drug trafficking charge, Gavin Blackman, the owner of Glow Again Boutique, has had the entire case against him tossed out.
The charge against Blackman called ‘Boyley’ was dismissed by Magistrate Faith McGusty. The charge was instituted by the Customs and Narcotics Unit (CANU).
The charge had alleged that Blackman had 1.1 kilograms of cocaine in his possession for the purpose of trafficking on May 4, 2018, at Lot 2 Norton Street, Georgetown.
Blackman was remanded at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court and later placed on $600,000 High Court bail after his Counsel made an application in May 2018.
Officers of CANU had stated that on the day in question, Blackman was seen collecting and transporting a black plastic bag containing what was suspected to be narcotics from an unknown vehicle and transporting it to Norton Street, Georgetown.
It was noted that when CANU agents tried to apprehend Blackman, he fled down an alleyway, then up a staircase and threw the bag into a house, after which he was arrested.
A black plastic bag similar to the one Blackman threw into the house was found in a neighbour’s yard with a bricklike object which tested positive for cocaine.
However, CANU agents found nothing illegal during their search of Blackman and inside the house where the bag was thrown.
As a result, Counsel for Boutique owner Siand Dhurjon argued before the Court that there was nothing nefarious about the parcel seen in Blackman’s possession as it was “a most generic and unremarkable black plastic bag.”
His counsel argued that Blackman was never even dutybound to stop when officers were not in uniform and merely screamed, “CANU, don’t move!” as CANU is an entity unknown to the statute.
When reflecting on the evidence during the hearing, Magistrate McGusty remarked that she “did not want to speculate” and could not make the conclusion that the bag found in the yard originated from Blackman since there was a lack of evidence.
There was also information placed before the court by defence counsel that the very house where CANU officers raided and intercepted Blackman was searched a number of times in the past.
In an invited comment, the businessman noted that he is pleased that justice is served and would take all steps possible to steer clear of the wrong side of the law.
