A businesswoman who is accused of illegally storing pieces of scrap metal without a license, had her bail extended when she appeared in the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate's Court on Tuesday.

Charged with operating a scrap-metal trade without a licence is Latoya Reid.

Allegations are that on the day of the incident, police officers believed to have been acting on information, made checks at a premises where Reid is alleged to have stored several pieces of scrap metal in the absence of a valid scrap-metal trade licence at the time of the search. Consequently, the accused was arrested and charged.

However, defence attorney representing the accused, Miguel Lorne, argued that his client was not operating per say, as she was simply storing the items.

"What does operating mean under the law?" quizzed Senior Resident Magistrate (RM) Georgiana Fraser.

"It is like a motor car, Your Honour," Lorne began, adding that if the hypothetical vehicle is parked, it is no longer in operation.

The matter was briefly stood down, allowing the attorney time to provide the magistrate with appropriate sections of the Trade Act which speaks to the offence of operating a storage facility in contravention of the act.

When the matter was recalled, it was confirmed that based on the allegations, Reid was in fact in breach as Section 31 of the Act reads: "A person commits an offence if he operates a scrap-metal storage facility - (a) without a valid licence or otherwise in contravention of these regulations; (b) during any period in which his licence is suspended or revoked.

Subsequently, the accused had her bail extended by the sitting magistrate and was ordered to pay a fine of $200,000. RM Fraser deferred sentencing until September 8 stating: "You have until that time to put yourself in a position to pay your fine."