Robert Chin, who was charged in connection to a $90 million drug bust at Norman Manley International Airport in Kingston.
KINGSTON, Jamaica — Fifty-nine-year-old Robert Chin of a Mona St Andrew address avoided jail time after pleading guilty to being in possession and attempting to export 21 pounds of cocaine.
Chin, who is the brother of Member of Parliament Mikael Phillips, was arrested at the Norman Manley International Airport on January 2, 2023 after a security check of his luggage revealed that it contained the cocaine, worth $90 million.
Chin, who had been on bail since his arrest, was Thursday fined $13,000.00 for attempting to export cocaine and $800,000.00 for possession of cocaine in the Corporate Area Criminal Court.
His attorneys Peter Champagnie, KC and Patrice Riley had requested that he be handed a fine of $800,000 only.
In asking the court not to impose a prison term, the lawyers reminded the court of Chin’s critical medical condition, which calls for weekly dialysis treatment, and the fact that he had pleaded guilty. His attorneys also relied on his social inquiry report which was highly favourable to him.
In handing down the sentence, Senior Parish Judge Paula Blake-Powell, observed that the provisions under which Chin had been charged under the Dangerous Drugs Act, for attempting to export, carried a maximum fine of $30,000.00 and for possession of cocaine $2,000,000 or two years imprisonment,.
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The request of a fine from his attorney’s was granted and Chin was given two weeks to pay or otherwise face a term of imprisonment of two years.