PERUVIAN captain Julio Caesar Bravo Montaleo was granted bail in the sum of $1.7 million yesterday after he appeared in court charged with importing prohibited goods.

Montaleo, 33, who was represented by Senior Counsel Gilbert Peterson, was charged with the offence arising out of the alleged discovery of 157.8 kilogrammes of compressed marijuana attached to the hull of the LPG tanker Virgin Del Carmen.

The find was made by the Customs and Excise Preventative Unit on Thursday night at the Caribbean Dockyard, Chaguaramas.

Officers allegedly found the drugs, in five bags, inside three metal containers attached to the vessel’s hull. The drugs have an estimated street value of over $1.5 million.

Senior Magistrate Lucina Cardenas-Ragoonanan granted bail to the captain, who pleaded not guilty to the offence when he appeared in court yesterday.

Conditions, however, were attached to Montaleo’s bail: he is required to report to the St Clair Police Station every Monday and Saturday between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m.; and his passport was confiscated.

Customs and Excise attorney Harricharan Kassie prosecuted. The matter comes up again on September 28.