Got TIPS or BREAKING NEWS? Please call 1-284-442-8000 direct/can also WhatsApp same number or Email ALL news to:newsvino@outlook.com;                               ads call 1-284-440-6666

Store Manager says 'wild friends' influenced his drug habit

Rami Kayed pleaded guilty to possession of marijuana when he appeared before the Magistrates Court on April 10, 2013. Photo: VINO
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI – A young manager at a local department store has blamed poor decision making and wild friends for being caught with 16 dime bags on February 19, 2013.

Rami Faisal Kayed, 23, pleaded guilty to possession of a controlled drug when he appeared before Senior Magistrate Tamia Richards today, April 10, 2013.

Senior Crown Counsel Sarah Benjamin in relating the facts of the matter, told the Court that the Police went to the Sunshine Department store based on a report received.

The defendant was cautioned and searched and in his left front pants pocket, two clear plastic bags were found with 16 smaller plastic bags.

When asked what the contents of the plastic bags were, the defendant allegedly replied that it was marijuana and was arrested and taken to the police station.

The drugs were later weighed and found to be 15.5g. They were reportedly valued at $45.

The defendant told Senior Magistrate Tamia Richards today, he was going through a lot of things and he decided to purchase the drugs to relieve stress. The accused said the store he was managing was responsible for the stress he was going through.

When the defendant told the Magistrate he started using cannabis this January, she asked if this had been his new year’s resolution. He responded " no", adding that wild friends had told him that it was good for him.

The Magistrate told the accused it was a very foolish thing to listen to his friends and told him that the offence carried a maximum fine of $100,000 or a term of 3 years in prison. He indicated that he did not prefer either of the two when the Magistrate asked.

“Everybody that smiles with you is not your friend,” Magistrate Richards said, “You see your friends? Where are they now?”

The young man acknowledged that he had made a foolish decision and expressed regret.

He was advised to go to Sandy Lane Centre for drug counselling and treatment and placed on $45,000 bail with one surety.

He will return to court on May 31, 2013 for a report on his status.

35 Responses to “Store Manager says 'wild friends' influenced his drug habit”

  • Charley T (11/04/2013, 07:56) Like (2) Dislike (1) Reply
    hold up rami is that you?
  • Be Fair (11/04/2013, 08:13) Like (12) Dislike (1) Reply
    Young man you did the crime and I hope that you've learned your lesson, but I must say it is admirable that you have owned up to your wrong without wasting the police or the court's time. I wish more youths would do so.
  • A Mother (11/04/2013, 08:14) Like (17) Dislike (1) Reply
    I met this young man recently and I must say very respectable to his elders, he mentioned to me how he was in constant pain from athritis and had to go to the doctors office to get shots to hlep him, me as an athritis sufferer can relate to his constant pain , I and 50 plus and had been approached by numerous people to try marijuana was tempted because I can tell you that pain is not easy,but went ahead and had a full knee replacement . I pray he goes to councelling and also he gets a remendy to ease his pain God help him and all arthritis sufferers it is a dangerous disease.
  • JJJ (11/04/2013, 08:33) Like (0) Dislike (17) Reply
    LOL
  • Real dogg (11/04/2013, 08:37) Like (6) Dislike (1) Reply
    In his photo, he's like call me dude, I got the real thing. Lmao"!
    • Lee (11/04/2013, 10:40) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
      Now who would of thought of this by just looking at this picture?
    • shame.... (11/04/2013, 11:56) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
      @Real dogg. I read your comment then scrolled back up. Couldn't help but start laughing
  • Lee (11/04/2013, 09:08) Like (4) Dislike (1) Reply

    Young man if you are reading this article, those persons who are giving you these bad advice are not your friends. Friends don’t try to destroy friends. It only takes one joint and you will like it, and you will continue to smoke joint after joint after joint until you are hook and become a drug addict. One more thing, you said that it is the store that you are managing that is responsible for the stress that you are going through, I would like to say to you that you don’t need to take that stress, you can branch out on your own, as I have seen you working as the businessman that you have become, or you can find another stress free job if you don’t have a problem working for a bl...man.

    • Redic (11/04/2013, 10:04) Like (10) Dislike (0) Reply
      it seems the man has a condition and was told marijuana could help him. i feel bad for him if that is the truth. the medical industry is wreaked with poison being prescribed on a daily but poor natural weed gets you locked up. the pharmacies and rum shops do more damage than all wars, car accidents and every thing else combined. sad world seem we better off dead.
  • Guiness Drinker (11/04/2013, 09:15) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    And u believed him that he started this january, I find your value of 15.5grams of marijuana to be a weebit too accurate interesting
  • links (11/04/2013, 10:03) Like (16) Dislike (56) Reply
    Medical Marijuana, legalize the thing and stop waste the court time.
  • john public (11/04/2013, 10:21) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    Lets see how this one plays out
  • rat race (11/04/2013, 11:19) Like (7) Dislike (0) Reply
    Young man do not waste your life
  • ausar (11/04/2013, 12:12) Like (3) Dislike (3) Reply
    Let's see if ethnic background plays a role in the application of justice here!
  • Well Well (11/04/2013, 12:25) Like (10) Dislike (0) Reply
    some time back i see they say 2gram of weed worth more than $100, now they day 15.5 gram worth $45. Look Joke....16 dime bags??? Police only know proper maths when they tryin humbug somebody!!
    • wise-up (12/04/2013, 08:35) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
      16 bags of dope is reasonable grounds to determine that the accused is a dope dealer; not 1, not 2 but 16 bags of weed; any other member of the society would have been charged with dope trafficking or the distribution of drugs; only because he got caught you hearing stupid talk (if his friend walked off a cliff would he have done so to) The question is how long its been going on( i say to long!!!!)...to the Police officer that made the arrest; job well done
  • Hmmm* (11/04/2013, 12:40) Like (13) Dislike (49) Reply
    Another otherwise productive member of society to be penalized for his personal use of a herb, not a violent criminal or a useless worthless good for nothing who belongs behind bars, just another victim of a rigid meaningless legislation that will impede his hopes of success for ever more! What as society benefited from his arrest i wonder?

    N don't hand me any crap about how it's illegal, the legal system is the issue here and cannot be used as its own argument. Countless individuals now with criminal records over this plant that grows wild in some places, hasn't caused a single death in the history of its use and has many medicinal properties.

    It is about time the stigma surrounding cannabis be dismissed, I agree it must be controlled and regulated no one wants to see school kids in class high, or preschoolers with dime bags in there lunch kits, but when is that ever an insurmountable task, it all begins with education & planning. Granted we suck as a territory when it comes to doing anything logical as a group. But our jails are being over crowded with young people over practically nothing other than an age old constitutional foul up.

    The law should always evolve to best suit the people governed by it, i don't care how high and mighty and perfect you are, sending young professionals behind bars and tarnishing their reputation in society over a personal choice that affects no one is a disaster!!
  • nanny cay (11/04/2013, 13:22) Like (3) Dislike (34) Reply
    He is just a want to be thug
    • Reply (11/04/2013, 14:58) Like (1) Dislike (13) Reply
      The guy who posted as "nanny cay"... You have no idea who this guy is and their for needs to play with ur self.
  • CHCKKKK (11/04/2013, 15:39) Like (5) Dislike (72) Reply
    LEGALIZE MARIJUANA ! SAYNOMORE.. MORE WEED LESS STRESS ... Some of these stuff like Alcohal cant kill you and cause accident and stuff ! <---This should be illegal, Instead of them Legalize weed them should illegalize alcohol.. !
  • We all about the kush! (11/04/2013, 17:28) Like (5) Dislike (0) Reply
    The British don't give fair trail.he is a first time offender the people need to give him a break.it got murders out there and they still walkin out there.what the people doin about that!? Nothing!

    All about that kush!
  • James Bond (11/04/2013, 17:41) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    He give a real awesome answer.....
  • Oh My (11/04/2013, 19:35) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    lol lawwd ppl, rami is like 22 y/o
  • bat man (11/04/2013, 20:42) Like (2) Dislike (3) Reply
    Now that is what you call the Joker on cloud 9!

    Dude you look like a lawyer and certainly speak like one on crack. LOL
  • hog city (12/04/2013, 07:27) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Hope they do not mess up his young life with this foolishness
  • Mick Mars (12/04/2013, 07:48) Like (4) Dislike (0) Reply
    You get catch, be a man and fess up and say it's yours and you smoke it because you like it or like what it was doing for you.
    Marijuana has been shown and proven to alleviate pain in certain cases and ease the mind. Say you was doing it for that, or even recreationally. Don't go and blame "WILD FRIENDS" for what you indulging in. Was the wild friends about when you had all them dimebags on you?

    Secondly, why you got all them dimebags on you, kid? You buy it...then you stash it. Somebody rat out on you when you done buy it and them catch you at your workplace with it, but you put it away as soon as possible, dude. And a poster hit the nail on the head with the maths them man gah going on when it comes to pricing how much a gram costs.

    I kinda glad I don't feel the need to blaze weed on a regular since it ain't my thing. (I smoked a joint and didn't start chain smoking joints like one user posted. lol) The man blaze and get high, enjoy heself or relieve whatever he gah going on, come down and then continue to be a functioning member of society. The B.V.I. need to seriously look at this thing from a proper perspective and tackle it as opposed to imposing hefty fines and jailtime for something so minor as smoking a joint. But I doubt it'll happen in our time. Ayo just stay safe.
  • Babylon System IS a Vampire (12/04/2013, 14:44) Like (4) Dislike (0) Reply
    Have any of you that is against Mariguana ever wondered WHY is it illegal? Nothing good for us is "legal" or comes easy. Cigars/Cigarettes on the packages it clearly states that they a Dangerous and a Hazard to our health. Rum and its effect of abuse, yet its is sold, at some bars even to minors. Some medication such as Alieve, if ou read the fine prints it clearly states, misuse of the product will cause internal bleeding especially in women, yet it is legal and can be purchased over the counter. I am neither FOR or AGAINST Mariguana. My argument is, there has to be something "special" about this miracle plant.

    Additionally; i just thought i would mention this. A couple months ago my neighbour, who is a christian and speaks out boldly against the use of mariguana was placed in a position to give her young son the roots of this plant to drink for his severe asmathic conditions. I was overwhelmed when she came and ask me if i knew whom she can get the roots from. I told her that she needs to go on the same turfs she and her church friends go on to preach against the "buds" and /ask/purchase some roots. She declined to do so stating that she wants nothing to do with "the turfs" or mariguana and asked if i would go and enquire for her. I refused. I said that to say this. She preached against the use of mariguana YET it was the only herb suggested to her by professionals as the cure for her sons health. I always use to say to her "what if one day you had to use mariguana to save your live, would you feel the same way" and she always answered saying " i will die first" before i use it. BUT she gave it to her son to drink. #food for thought
  • INJUSTICE (12/04/2013, 14:58) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    The drugs were later weighed and found to be 15.5g. They were reportedly valued at $45 - Sine when 16 Dime Bags have a street value of $45.00. Somebody cant count here. As far as i know a dime bag costs $10.00. 16x10=$160.00. Unless he had Nickle bags on him (5x16=$80.00). This still does not add up. I would like to buy weed where ever this dude shopping. #Just saying
  • Ag C.O.P (12/04/2013, 20:37) Like (1) Dislike (1) Reply
    if he was black the weed would have a greater value; the young owns a business and my guys can always get a free pair of shoes or free rice and peas( all the black guys have it talk !!!!!!)
  • rescuse (13/04/2013, 18:48) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    we already personalise things too much in this place
  • Chris (14/04/2013, 15:00) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Really? Who gives a ****?


Create a comment


Create a comment

Disclaimer: Virgin Islands News Online (VINO) welcomes your thoughts, feedback, views, bloggs and opinions. However, by posting a blogg you are agreeing to post comments or bloggs that are relevant to the topic, and that are not defamatory, liable, obscene, racist, abusive, sexist, anti-Semitic, threatening, hateful or an invasion of privacy. Violators may be excluded permanently from making contributions. Please view our declaimer above this article. We thank you in advance for complying with VINO's policy.

Follow Us On

Disclaimer: All comments posted on Virgin Islands News Online (VINO) are the sole views and opinions of the commentators and or bloggers and do not in anyway represent the views and opinions of the Board of Directors, Management and Staff of Virgin Islands News Online and its parent company.