Bail granted for British man who allegedly smuggled millions of dollars into Jamaica in shampoo bottles

The British national who allegedly entered Jamaica with over US$130,000, the equivalent of J$20 million, hidden in bottles labelled "Head & Shoulders Anti-Dandruff Shampoo and Conditioner" was granted bail on Wednesday.

Trevor Whyte, 42, was offered bail in the sum of $1 million and ordered to report to the Bluefields Police Station twice per week, according to his attorney Able-Don Foote.

Whyte, who resides in Enfield, London, and White House, in Westmoreland, was also ordered to surrender his travel documents to the police.

Foote indicated in his bail application in the St James Parish Court that his client is a father of six children between the ages of two and 17 and also is a musical artiste who owns a recording studio.

The attorney said his client's family life would "suffer" if he was not admitted to bail because he is the primary breadwinner.

He is scheduled to return to court on June 27.

Whyte was arrested at the Sangster International Airport in St James shortly after he arrived in Jamaica on May 1 on-board a Virgin Atlantic flight from London, the Financial Investigations Division (FID) disclosed on Monday.

He was reportedly selected for routine inspection after he entered the "nothing to declare" customs channel.

The FID said during the scanning of his luggage, abnormalities were detected which prompted a physical search.

It's alleged that the search revealed three suspicious bottles labelled as "Head & Shoulders Anti-Dandruff Shampoo and Conditioner" with a total of US$130,490 concealed in plastic wrap".

- Livern Barrett

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