Driver remanded on cocaine, marijuana charges

A 55-year-old minibus driver of Tabatinga, Lethem appeared before Chief Magistrate, Ann McLennan at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court, charged with being in possession of 24.9 kilograms of cannabis and 200 grams of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking.

Police had said that on October 1, 2017, Garfield Parker was caught with the illegal substances at the Mabura Police Outpost. Parker, however, denied the charges and was remanded to prison until October 11, 2017.

He did not have legal representation and the matter was transferred to the Linden Magistrate’s Court. The court heard that on the day in question, at about 04:00hrs, the police stopped the minibus, BKK 8295 and conducted a search when they found two cardboard boxes and a multi-colored suitcase which contained taped parcels of leaves, seeds and stems suspected to be cannabis, along with a small plastic parcel containing what is suspected to be cocaine.

Parker, who was the driver, allegedly claimed ownership and knowledge of the drugs and told police that he was transporting it for someone in Lethem named ‘Marlon.’