A WOMAN who was caught with cannabis during a routine traffic stop by police has been convicted of possessing a prohibited drug and fined $1000 after her matter was before Bathurst Court earlier this month.
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Callie Louise Gafa, 24, of Boyd Street, Kelso, did not appear before magistrate Michael Allen, and the matter was subsequently dealt with in her absence, under Section 196.
Police facts tendered to the court told how Gafa was a passenger in a car which was pulled over by police on December 31 last year and she was subsequently found with 116.4 grams of dry cannabis leaf after police searched the car.
Gafa was a passenger in the red Subaru which was stopped for a random breath test.
Police spoke with the driver, who underwent a breath test.
When police asked for the driver’s licence, they noticed he appeared to be shaking and seemed extremely nervous.
Police also noticed an overpowering smell consistent with cannabis emitting from the cabin of the vehicle and formed the strong suspicion the vehicle contained a prohibited drug. Police requested the driver get out of the vehicle and speak with them, and said they planned to search the car.
Police then asked Gafa to step out of the car, and she told police she had “a couple of ounces of cannabis” under her seat.
She told police the cannabis was under her seat in a shopping bag and for personal use as she suffers anxiety.
Police located the shopping bag and four large snaplock bags with a total weight of 116.4 grams.
Gafa was convicted and fined $1000.