MONTEGO BAY, St James — A 68-year-old man who was accused of attempting to smuggle cocaine out of Jamaica has been freed of all charges after the court found insufficient evidence to support the case against him.
Lloyd Swimmer, a domestic assistant based in London, England, was found not guilty last Tuesday of possession, dealing, attempted exportation, and conspiracy to export cocaine. The ruling was delivered by Parish Court Judge Natiesha Fairclough-Hylton.
In her decision, the judge upheld submissions made by defence attorney Martyn Thomas, concluding that the prosecution failed to establish its case beyond a reasonable doubt. Central to the ruling was the court’s finding that there was no proof Swimmer was aware of the presence of cocaine in his belongings.
The judge also questioned the reliability of the prosecution’s main civilian witness, citing inconsistencies in her testimony under cross-examination. Additionally, the court accepted that Swimmer’s actions did not suggest deliberate ignorance, noting that he had taken steps to confirm the contents of items before placing them in his luggage.
The charges arose from an incident on February 23, 2025, at the departure lounge of Sangster International Airport. Law enforcement officers, acting on prior information, approached Swimmer while he was preparing to board a flight to London.
At the time, he was seen standing in line with a woman who later indicated she was not travelling with him. Swimmer complied with the officers’ requests, presented his travel documents, and consented to a search of his luggage.
A search of his main suitcase revealed no illegal items. However, officers later examined his carry-on bag, where they reportedly found a shopping bag containing several food packages, including coffee and almond porridge mix. Upon inspection, one of the coffee packets was found to contain a white powdery substance, which tested positive for cocaine.
Swimmer denied any knowledge of the drug, telling investigators he had never seen cocaine before. He reportedly stated that the bag had been given to him by an individual and also mentioned that he suffers from glaucoma, affecting his vision.
Subsequent analysis by the Firearms and Narcotics Investigation Division confirmed that the packages contained approximately three pounds and 11 ounces of cocaine. Swimmer was then arrested and charged under the Dangerous Drugs Act.
Following the ruling, his attorney welcomed the outcome, describing it as a just conclusion after a prolonged legal ordeal. He noted that Swimmer is now able to move forward after being fully cleared of the allegations.
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