Magistrate Lisa Ramsumair-Hinds made it clear to La Romain student Miguel Cumberbatch, 18, that he would not escape with a slap on the wrist after being arrested for possession of 94 foil packets of marijuana at his home.
The San Fernando Second Court Magistrate ordered the teen to pay a $5,000 fine or face jail.
Cumberbatch, who, according to his attorney Anna Lee Girwar, is awaiting his CXC results, pleaded guilty to the August 6 offence. He was arrested by Police Constable Avidesh Narine for possession of 173 grammes of the illegal narcotic.
Girwar said Cumberbatch was sorry for his actions.In passing sentence, Ramsumair-Hinds said: "Having regard to the quantum, this young man cannot expect to walk into this court say sorry and get a slap on the wrist. "He must know that for having possession of 94 packets marijuana he can get himself in serious trouble."
Cumberbatch was fined $5,000 or two months in prison with hard labour.
Girwar told the court the teen, of La Plaisance Road, La Romain, lives with his mother and was working as a part-time labourer and air-conditioning technician.
"He fell into the wrong company and wants an opportunity to make something of himself," she said.
Prosecutor Ramdath Phillip told the court PC Narine executed a search warrant at Cumberbatch's home.
Nothing mentioned in the warrant was found. However, while searching the house the police officer found a white plastic bag containing the foil-wrapped packets of marijuana in a room.