Police arrested nine men in con- nection with the seizure of 852 pounds of marijuana earlier this year. However, during their trial there was some discrepancy as to whether the drugs were found in The Bahamas or international waters.
Lathario Rose, 36, of Rupert Dean Lane, who is also known as Dion "Buju" Minnis; David Colebrooke, 49, of Jasmine Gardens; Dwayne Henderson of Prince Charles Drive; Nathaniel Higgs, 26, of North Eleuthera; and Jason Major, 26, of East Street, are on trial before Deputy Chief Magistrate Carolita Bethell on charges of possession of marijuana with the intent to supply and marijuana importation.
Rose, Colebrooke, Henderson, Higgs, Major, Mario Moxey, 39, of Kemp Road; Zintwan Duncombe, 25, of Fresh Creek, Andros; David Sweeting, 34, of Exuma; and Carlton Johnson, 31, of Kemps Bay, Andros, also face charges of con- spiring to commit the offenses.
Defence force marine Mike Moss told the court yesterday that he was on the vessel that pursued a gray go-fast vessel, with three outboard engines, off the Cuban coast on March 2, 2011.
Moss said the suspect boat even- tually stopped. According to Moss, packages of suspected marijuana were collected from international
waters. However, according to DEU officer Corporal Seabury Ferguson, who was also on the defence force boat, the drugs were found in Bahamian waters.
However, both witnesses agreed that the suspects and the boat were taken to Mathew Town, Inagua, fol- lowing the seizure.
Ferguson claimed that Henderson told him, "We [threw] that over- board. [You don't have anything] on us" when he took him to the bathroom at the police station.
Sergeant 1218 Weymond Demeritte, the investigating officer, said he questioned all the suspects about the allegations against them on March 3 and 4 when they were brought to New Providence.
According to Demeritte, Rose told him that he left Nassau with Lightbourne and Major on his boat. According to Demeritte, they picked up "Scummy", whose real name is Zintwan Duncombe, and headed to Jamaica, where Scummy was supposed to pick up some drugs from "Tiger."
Rose allegedly told Demeritte that Henderson and Higgs caught rides back to New Providence with him. He said all of the persons on the boat had "weed."
Rose allegedly said he told the men to dump the drugs in the water when they were pursued off Cuba. According to Demeritte, Rose told him that he headed to Cay Verde, off Ragged Island, and threw his GPS in the water.
Demeritte claimed that Duncombe and Henderson admit- ted that they were on a boat with three other men that was chased by the United States Coast Guard and defence force.
Demeritte said that Colebrooke told him that Cuban authorities, the U.S. Coast Guard and the defence force chased the boat he was on as they headed towards The Bahamas. Colebrooke alleged- ly admitted that he knew the drugs were on the vessel.
The case continues before Bethell next month.
Cecil Hilton, Michael Kemp, Ian Cargill and Dion Smith are the defense lawyers. Inspector Ercell Dorsett is the prosecutor.

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