FORMER NATIONAL footballer turned coach, Allan 'Skill' Cole, and five others who were arrested for breaches of the Dangerous Drugs Act on Wednesday, were offered bails of $1.5 million each in the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate's Court in Half-Way Tree. The 52-year-old Cole was arrested along with Mark Rohan Fletcher, 39, of Robertson Avenue, Kingston 6; David Lloyd McGrath of Dillon Avenue, Kingston 5; mechanic Anthony Smellie, 51 of Range Crescent Kingston 2; Clive Donovan Bailey, 31, of Antrim Road, Kingston 3 and Ferdinand Thomas, 38, of Elletson Road Kingston 16.
All six men have been charged with possession of, dealing in, taking steps to export, conspiracy to export and using the premises of Mr. Cole along Deanery Drive, Vineyard Town, Kingston 3, to store parcels of compressed ganja.
According to the police Constabulary Communication Network, about 1:15 p.m., members of the Narcotics Division carried out a raid at Mr. Cole's premises and found 60 parcels of ganja weighing approximately 148.45 kilograms (326.59 lb).
In addition to being a professional footballer, Cole also served as manager for reggae superstar Bob Marley at one point in his career and is credited with writing at least one of the Reggae legend's hit songs. He was also the first and only Jamaican to play professional football in Brazil, when he was signed by top Brazilian club, Nautico in 1972.
