KINGSTOWN, St. Vincent — A 19-year-old British national has been remanded into custody in St. Vincent and the Grenadines after pleading guilty to multiple cocaine-related charges at the Serious Offences Court on Thursday. Warren Lee Davies, a farmer from South Wales, England, was arrested at Argyle International Airport on March 18 after aviation security discovered 2.5 kilograms of cocaine concealed within his luggage.
The court heard that police had been alerted to Davies’ arrival and placed him under surveillance. During a security screening, he initially refused to open his red-and-black carry-on suitcase. Authorities subsequently used a bolt-cutter to access the bag, revealing three taped packages containing a white powdery substance later confirmed as cocaine, alongside four jerseys.
Davies was formally charged with possession with intent to supply, attempting to export cocaine, and possession for the purpose of trafficking. The narcotics division weighed the substance in his presence, confirming it totaled 2,500 grams with an estimated street value between EC$62,500 and EC$75,000 (approximately US$23,000–US$28,000).
In mitigation, defense attorney Grant Connell emphasized his client’s immediate guilty plea, lack of prior convictions, and status as a young father. Connell argued for a suspended sentence and fine, citing the high cost of incarceration. He provocatively questioned the burden on the state, noting, “He is England’s problem, not ours.”
However, Chief Magistrate Colin John rejected the suspended sentence as impractical for a non-national. Prosecutor Renrick Cato supported a custodial sentence. The court ultimately imposed financial penalties: a fine of EC$20,000 (or one year imprisonment) for attempting to export cocaine, with identical fines and alternative prison terms for the other charges. Davies, unable to pay the total EC$60,000 fine, was remanded to prison with the possibility of release upon payment.