Cox. * Photo credit: I-Witness News
I-Witness News in St. Vincent and the Grenadines is reporting that a St. Lucian man was arrested and a large quantity of marijuana and guns seized during an early-morning raid on Sunday, June 29 by a special police unit.
Reports are that the Rapid Response Unit (RRU), known in St. Vincent as the ‘Black Squad’ because of their black uniforms, conducted a raid in the McKie Mountains at Richmond on Sunday, resulting in the arrest of Thaddeus Cox of St. Lucia, and the seizure of 192,496 grammes (424 pounds) of marijuana, two semi-automatic pistols and a double-barrel 12-gauge shotgun.
I-Witness News reported that, “According to information received, the patrol unit from the RRU, led by corporal Dallaway was in the mountain around 7:10 a.m. when they observed the St. Lucian, Thaddeus Cox, emerge from a hut. When Cox looked in the direction of the law officers he began to run.
“He was pursued, caught and taken back to the hut. The hut was searched and the law officers found 10 nylon sacks containing 30 taped packages of the controlled drug. They also found the shotgun on a bunk and the two semiautomatic pistols under a pillow on the bunk.”
I-Witness News reported that the St. Lucian was taken before the Kingstown Magistrate Court on Monday, charged with possessing 192,496 grammes of marijuana, possessing the shotgun and one charge each of possessing the pistols.
“He initially pleaded guilty and then minutes later changed his plea,” the online newspaper reported.
Cox was remanded into custody pending a trial.
“The matter has been transferred to the Serious Offences Court and he is scheduled to appear there on July 9,” I-Witness News reported.
The St. Lucian reportedly told police that he came to St. Vincent one month ago and was staying with someone called “Brigo.”