MONTEGO BAY, St James — A man who arrived in the country with a small quantity of ganja concealed in his luggage was fined $51,000 when he appeared in the St James Parish Court last Wednesday.

He is Allan Grant, a 24-year-old Jamaican who now lives in the United States.

Grant pleaded guilty to possession and importation of ganja before presiding judge Kaysha Grant-Pryce.

According to court documents, Grant arrived on a flight from the US on Wednesday. During inspection of his luggage by Customs officials, approximately four ounces of marijuana was discovered.

He was subsequently arrested and charged.

“Mr Grant, what caused you to import the ganja?” Grant-Pryce asked the defendant.

“I use it for personal use; I didn’t know that I couldn’t bring it,” the defendant replied.

“When you were coming back to Jamaica, you did not acquaint yourself with the laws as it relates to ganja? You thought it was free to have ganja here?” the judge asked, but the defendant insisted that he was not aware.

“The importation of ganja carries a prison term of up to five years, sir; and it starts at 15 months’ imprisonment,” the judge informed Grant.

“You young people are on your phones every day, and it alarms me that you are not educating yourselves…You are a ganja user; couldn’t you just educate yourself when you are travelling?” the judge said.

“You are going to pay a fine today, and don’t let it happen again,” the judge warned the defendant before ordering him to pay a fine of $1,000 or spend five days in jail for possessing the drug, along with $50,000 or 30 days in jail for importation.