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Man fined $2K for heavy tint; Claims he licensed car 'like that'

Devon Smith of Josiah’s Bay, Tortola, was fined $2,000 for driving a heavily tinted car on August 10 2019. Photo; VINO/File
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI- Devon Smith of Josiah’s Bay, Tortola, was fined $2,000 for driving a heavily tinted car on August 10, 2019.

He was caught with the prohibited levels of tint during a police traffic stop in Josiah’s Bay.

Addressing the court, Smith said, “the officer asked me to take it off, and I take it all off.”

He was also baffled as to the reason he was being charged with the offences as he felt he was in the safe zone because the Department of Motor Vehicles did not object to it.

He explained, “I bought it so, and it was licensed and insured like that.”

Despite his amazement, he pleaded guilty to the offences of the prohibition of tint on his right and left rear window, and the front and back windscreen last week before Magistrate Ayanna O. Baptiste-DaBreo.

The Magistrate then fined Smith $500 for each traffic violation.

The fines were to be paid immediately or spend a total of four months at Her Majesty’s Prison.

11 Responses to “Man fined $2K for heavy tint; Claims he licensed car 'like that'”

  • justice (28/09/2019, 10:29) Like (31) Dislike (7) Reply
    So why some police officers private vehicles tint dark also?One day a war will break out right here in this little BVI.
  • asking for a friend (28/09/2019, 11:41) Like (14) Dislike (1) Reply
    And some former politicians who we voted out with our mouth push up still have there tins
  • question (28/09/2019, 18:14) Like (4) Dislike (1) Reply
    Everything for the court now is fine this and that or jail the jail has no more space stop sending ppl to jail to sit and get fat off of my tax money. He pledg guilty warned him and fine him give him time to pay. But jail i time i read the news fine and jail hmmm.
  • Hmm (28/09/2019, 19:49) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    How much tint can you put on why they dont publish
  • Fran (28/09/2019, 20:48) Like (12) Dislike (2) Reply
    NO NO NO! This is judicial abuse. He bought it that way, insured it that way, registered it that way, took the film off when the police told him to, and still get a big hefty fine? Something here isn't right! This is total abuse of the system. Someone needs to look into this. I never heard of such a thing. That $2000 fine I could see if he was warned and didn't remove it. but it sounds like he followed all of the rules. Let's wait and see, maybe there is more to this story that wasn't printed.
  • Hmm (29/09/2019, 07:25) Like (0) Dislike (2) Reply
    Front and back windscreen should not be tinted. They need give us a break for the 4 side glass but not front and back windscreen. Thats over doing it
  • Hmmmm (29/09/2019, 22:19) Like (5) Dislike (0) Reply
    Simple solution, Make it illegal to import over the legal limit and stop this stupid soap opera with 2000.00 fine.
  • Captain (02/10/2019, 15:48) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    The fine was not necessary and way to much, if there was a problem with the car and the DMV allowed the car to pass inspection then the man should have been given two days to prove that he removed the tint. Not pay a fine and certainly not have ant jail time unless he refused to remove the tint. Boy that police did not like him.
  • Ridiculous (02/10/2019, 22:23) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    The police pick on who they want, like the saying goes “hogs know where to root” because a lot of people around here driving around with heavily tinted vehicles, pass inspection and nothing happens to them. This justice system is screwed up big time. A man is found in BVI waters with cash and said he got lost, his fine was $1500. This man simply driving around with tint and fined $2,000, idk jack but some of these Magistrate’s don’t follow the penalty guidelines or they make them up as they go based on who you are and where you are from.


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