Bermuda health minister's son cleared of 2.1g cannabis charge
Thomas Moniz, 19, the son of Bermuda's health minister Trevor Moniz, denied possessing 2.1 grams of cannabis and a grinder at Magistrates' Court on 31 December 2013 and was released on $2,000 bail. On 2 January 2014 the Crown offered no evidence and the charges were dismissed.
Thomas Moniz, 19, the son of Health Minister Trevor Moniz, appeared in Bermuda’s
Magistrates’ Court on 31 December 2013 charged with possessing cannabis and drug
paraphernalia.[1]He denied having 2.1 grams of cannabis and a blue grinder in
his possession on 2 September in Devonshire parish.[1]He elected to be tried
in the Magistrates’ Court and was set to appear again later that week.[1]Magistrate Khamisi Tokunbo released him on $2,000bail with one surety in the
meantime.[1]
When he returned to court on 2 January 2014 the Crown offered no evidence
against him.[2]Senior Magistrate Archibald Warner then dismissed the charges.[2]The Royal Gazette described the dismissal as the first ruling of 2014.[2]Bernews recorded that he had pleaded not guilty on 31 December to cannabis
possession and to having a drug grinder.[3]
Attorney-General Mark Pettingill said the magistrate’s ruling fell well within
normal guidelines for a police caution.[4]Pettingill said the matter was for
the Department of Public Prosecutions, while the police made the initial
decision in such cases.[4]
Photos and video
Thomas Moniz leaving court after his first appearance, captioned 'Thomas Moniz leavng court this morning' on the page. Photo: The Royal GazettePhoto details
The sources do not explain why the Crown offered no evidence, and say no more about the case after the dismissal.
The 2.1 grams is the quantity in the charge as reported; no laboratory analysis was published.
The cannabis was allegedly possessed in Devonshire parish on 2 September 2013, but the sources do not say where it was found or whether police seized it.
The Attorney-General said the ruling matched guidelines for a police caution, but no caution is recorded and the sources do not say what happened to the cannabis and grinder.
The submitted photograph is captioned only that Moniz was leaving court, with a misspelled 'leavng' and no credit line published for it.
Yemariam Teshome, 21, of Ontario, pleaded not guilty in Bermuda's Supreme Court to conspiring to import more than $1 million of cannabis into the island between an unknown date and 21 June 2026, and to possessing it with intent to supply. A judge set a mention for 11 December and a fixed trial date of 15 February.
Josephine Limberopoulis, 34, and her husband Salih Burns, 32, of Paget deny having cocaine and cannabis with intent to supply, after allegedly being found with almost 69 grams of cannabis and five grams of cocaine in Pembroke. A Bermuda magistrate released both on $8,000 bail until 15 October.
A Bermuda Supreme Court jury unanimously acquitted Sandra Marrero-Guzman, 37, of conspiring to import cannabis and possessing it with intent to supply after customs found 12,876 grams of the drug in her suitcase at LF Wade International Airport in June 2025. The Crown had valued the haul at $1.3 million.
David Mathias, 67, and Danielle Mathias, 36, were charged in Bermuda's Magistrates' Court with importing cannabis and THC or shatter allegedly brought in on 10 May 2020, which the Crown valued at an estimated $6.2 million. Neither had to plead because the case goes to the Supreme Court; both were freed on $50,000 bail to the May arraignments.