Three American women detained at Belize’s PGIA for bringing cannabis on JetBlue Flight

Belize: Three American women, who traveled to Belize on a JetBlue flight from New York, were detained for bringing weed to the country while traveling on Wednesday, August 20, 2025. The incident took place at the Philip Goldson International Airport (PGIA). 

The three women are identified as, Iyahna Nakeita Rayside, 24, of Bronx, New York; Arisa Rashae Philson, 26, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and Alliah Latanya Kemp, 29, of Bronx, New York. Cannabis was found in their luggage after arriving on flight #1641.

According to the details shared by the local police authorities, Philson had 17.35 grams of marijuana, Kemp had 3 grams, and Rayside had 12.41 grams. Three women were detained on the spot and taken to the Ladyville Police Station where they spent a night. 

On Thursday morning, August 21, they appeared before Magistrate Ludlow Black in Court #1, where they were charged with importation of a controlled drug. All the three women pleaded guilty. 

The magistrate explained to the three women that despite the fact that it is legal to possess under 10 grams of weed for personal use under the Belize law, it is still illegal to import cannabis into the country. He advised the three women to stay aware of the laws of countries they travel to in the future to avoid such incidents.

The authorities gave them fines instead of prison sentences as they admitted their mistake, had no previous criminal record, and the amount of the drug imported was little. Each of them was ordered to pay $300 plus $5 in court costs. 

Notably, they will face three months in prison if any of them failed to pay the fine in due time provided to them. The women quickly paid the fines and were released. They later met their fourth friend who was not detained and continued with their tour of Belize.