Police charged one person for attempting to import more than 2,000 marijuana cigarettes, with a local street value of $10,000, to Majuro from Pohnpei, the capital of the Federated States of Micronesia.
Henris Edmond, 44, an FSM citizen who lives in Majuro, was arrested at Amata Kabua International Airport on his return from Pohnpei Wednesday.
Police said they were tipped off that he would be carrying marijuana, and when they checked his bags at the airport found 2,019 marijuana joints in Ziploc containers. Marijuana “joints” sell for $5 each in Majuro.
Edmond is facing illegal importation of marijuana and attempted importation charges. At an initial hearing, High Court Chief Justice Carl Ingram set bail at $500. If found guilty, Edmond faces a maximum sentence of five years in jail and a $25,000 fine.
In a separate incident, Helson Davis, 47, and his wife Atkim Welch, 57, are charged with distribution of marijuana and possession of narcotics for selling marijuana to minors.
Last week, parents complained to police about the sale of marijuana to their children. Following this, two teenagers told police that they had been buying marijuana joints for $5 each from the couple. From the information and descriptions of the sellers provided by the teenagers, the police identified Davis and Welch as the source, then obtained a High Court-issued search warrant.
During the search of their residence, the police said they discovered a locked cabinet that contained 111 joints. This has a local street value of $500.
Chief Justice Ingram set bail at $700.
If found guilty, Davis and Welch face a maximum possible sentence of 15 years in jail and a $50,000 fine.
A preliminary hearing is set for July 2 in both cases.
