He came to Belize as a carefree cruise tourist yesterday, but tonight, 27 year old British National Paul Smith is in police custody - and to get out of it, he has to find ten thousand dollars, and quick or go to jail.
That's after he pleaded guilty to trafficking for 2.3 grammes of crack cocaine today in Belize City Magistrate's court.
That's not even ounce, but because it's a hard drug, the charge has to be drug trafficking for any amount over one gramme. Magistrate Albert Hoare fined him ten thousand dollars to be paid forthwith, or serve three months in prison.
Smith did not have that kind of money on him and asked to make some calls to try and get it from his home country. He was unable to arrange it before the close of court and so he remains in custody tonight.
Smith was caught when a police special constable working at the Tourism Village reported that he saw Smith acting suspiciously and decided to search him. The constable found the drugs stuffed inside a pack of Colonial Cigarettes in Smith's pocket.
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