Belize City Man Accused of Drug Possession and Trying to Bribe Police

Twenty-five-year-old Dray Mossiah, a painter from Cleghorn Street, is now facing two criminal charges after a late-night police search turned up suspected cocaine and drug paraphernalia in his home. Police say they executed a search warrant at Mossiah’s residence around eleven p.m. on Monday. Inside, they reportedly found a small bag of white powder, along with straws believed to have cocaine residue. But things took a turn when Mossiah allegedly tried to bribe one of the officers with a hundred and forty dollars in cash, asking to be let go without charges. That move landed him a second charge, attempting to corrupt a police officer. Mossiah appeared in court this morning without a lawyer and initially pleaded guilty. But after hearing the details, he seemed unsure and told the magistrate, quote, no drugs were found in the straw, end quote. The court entered a not guilty plea on his behalf and advised him to seek legal counsel. The magistrate noted that as a first-time offender for these particular charges, Mossiah could face fines between a hundred and two hundred dollars per count. However, it turns out he still owes over nine thousand, five hundred dollars from a 2021 drug conviction. Before he could post bail today, he was ordered to pay five hundred dollars toward that outstanding fine. Mossiah managed to make the payment just before four p.m. and was granted bail. He’s due back in court on July fifteenth and must make another payment toward his old fine by June.