A routine police stop turned costly for three men after officers uncovered four bags of cassava worth $50,000 without the required documentation, landing two of them with $100,000 fines in the St Catherine Parish Court on Monday.

Marvin Rodney of Linstead, St Catherine, who was charged with failing to have a receipt, and Herman Golding of Clarendon, who was charged with failing to issue a receipt, both pleaded guilty and were each fined $100,000 or two months' imprisonment.

A third accused, Wayne Barrieffe, who pleaded guilty with an explanation, failed to appear in court, prompting Senior Parish Court Judge Desiree Alleyne to issue a warrant for his arrest.