HANGING ONTO another person’s drugs, a circumstance discovered after police stopped a car for speeding on the Nisga’a Highway, has cost a man $230 in fines. Alvin Tremblay, 31, was ordered to pay a fine of $200 plus a $30 victim fine surcharge by Judge Terry Wright in provincial court here May 10.
On March 30, 2012, Lisims/Nass Valley RCMP stopped a vehicle for speeding and the officer noted a smell of fresh marijuana as he approached the vehicle, court heard. Four people were in the car and identified themselves to officers when asked, court heard.
When police asked if any drugs were in the vehicle, Tremblay handed over five marijuana cigarettes, saying that was all he had and that they were handed to him by someone else in the car, court heard.
He was arrested for possession of a controlled substance and he stated that the marijuana was for his personal use, court heard.
Tremblay’s fine would be taken out of the $311 police seized during the arrest and the difference then returned to Tremblay.
The court accepted Tremblay’s reason for having the money – it was to pay for tickets for a basketball game the group was going to when stopped by police, court heard.
Crown and defence had submitted a joint sentencing suggestion of a $200 fine, which Wright agreed to saying Tremblay’s previous record only had one drug conviction from 2001.