A 37-year-old man accused of trying to leave the island with seven ounces of marijuana was granted bail when he appeared in the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate's Court on Thursday.

Charged with possession of, dealing in and taking steps to export ganja is Jason Campbell, a higgler of a Spanish Town address.

The court was told that on the day in question, Campbell was preparing to board a Caribbean Airlines flight to Trinidad and Tobago when he was stopped and interviewed. He reportedly aroused the suspicions of the police and was taken to the Kingston Public Hospital where he was X-rayed and foreign objects seen in his stomach. Over time, he reportedly expelled 26 pellets containing marijuana.

seeking bail

The court was told that under caution, Campbell said, "Mi did a carry it fi mi own use. How u know seh mi have it?"

Campbell's lawyer told the court that he was seeking bail for his client on the basis that the lab tests would take a long while. He said his client had also been in custody for a while before being taken before the court.

Campbell was granted $50,000 bail with a surety. He was ordered to hand over his travel documents to the court, a stop order was issued and his fingerprints were taken. He is to return to court on January 6.