Elderly man remanded for attempting to smuggle drugs into prison

A 61-year-old man was on Monday charged with being in possession of 20 grams of cannabis for the purpose of trafficking.

Ishwar Persaud, a craftsman of Leopold Street, Georgetown was allegedly caught with cannabis in shoe soles, which he tried to smuggle to an inmate at Camp Street prison.

He appeared before City Magistrate Judy Latchman and denied the charge. Persaud, who did not have legal representation, told the court that he was unaware that the drugs were in the shoes and claimed that the item was given to him by a neighbour for a prisoner named, Ralph Franklin.

“I was not afraid because the man is my neighbour and I trust him,” Persaud told the court.

Police Prosecutor, Richard Harris told the court that on the day in question, Persaud was at the Camp Street prison with food and clothing for an inmate and during a mandatory search of the package, the drugs were found inside the shoe soles, which Persaud had in his possession.

The prosecution objected to bail based on the seriousness of the charge; bail was denied and he was remanded to prison until September 18, 2017.