In a recent court hearing in St James, Jamaica, Iro Thomas, a man arrested during a police raid on October 19, contested charges of cocaine possession. Appearing before Parish Judge Gabrielle Wilks, Thomas argued that neither he nor the arresting officers could confirm whether the substance found in his possession was indeed crack cocaine. Represented by attorney Jermaine Campbell, who acted as amicus in the absence of formal legal representation, Thomas maintained his innocence, claiming he had merely found the substance and was unaware of its nature. The incident unfolded when police, conducting a targeted operation at a local beach, observed Thomas and another individual engaged in conversation. Suspecting foul play due to Thomas’s suspicious behavior, officers approached him and discovered seven pieces of a substance believed to be crack cocaine in a bottle he was holding. During the hearing, Campbell highlighted the absence of a preliminary test to verify the substance’s identity, emphasizing that the prosecution lacked concrete evidence to substantiate the charges. Judge Wilks granted Thomas bail set at $150,000 with reporting conditions and scheduled the next hearing for January 14, 2026.