A visitor from the United States has been ordered to pay a $1,000 fine after admitting to possessing cannabis that was discovered in his luggage at V.C. Bird International Airport.
The man, 34-year-old Fady Aziz Saloum, was stopped by authorities on March 7 shortly after arriving on United Airlines Flight 2020 from Pennsylvania.
According to reports presented in court, officers were conducting a coordinated operation involving the Narcotics Department, the K-9 Unit and the Customs Enforcement Unit at approximately 4:30 pm when a trained drug-detection dog signaled interest in a suitcase belonging to Saloum.
When the bag was searched, officers reportedly found 23 pre-rolled cannabis cigarettes along with a blue zip-lock bag containing additional material believed to be cannabis. The items had a combined weight of roughly 56 grams.
Saloum was taken to police headquarters where the substances were seized and he was formally charged.
He later appeared before Ngaio Emanuel, Antigua and Barbuda’s Chief Magistrate, where he pleaded guilty to possession of cannabis. Prosecutors subsequently dropped a separate charge related to importation.
The court imposed a fine of $1,000, giving Saloum 30 days to pay the amount or face a 30-day prison sentence. The cannabis was also ordered confiscated.
During the hearing, the court was informed that Saloum possesses a medical cannabis card issued in the United States, which he reportedly uses to treat anxiety and back pain. However, such documentation has no legal authority in Antigua and Barbuda, and cautioned the traveller to ensure he understands local laws when entering another country.
