Two charged in connection with huge cocaine bust in Parika

Two men appeared before Senior Magistrate, Leron Daly at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court on Friday, December 29, 2017, charged with being in possession of 143 pounds of cocaine, which was found stashed in a gas cylinder.

Damion Williams, 33 of Better Hope, East Coast Demerara and Vaughn Anderson, 30, of Boodhoo Housing Scheme, Parika East Bank Essequibo, denied the joint charge when it was read to them.

Particulars of the charge alleged that on December 24, 2017, at Boodhoo Housing Scheme, they had 65.027 kilograms of cocaine in their possession for the purpose of trafficking.

Williams’ Attorney, George Thomas, in his bail application, told the court that his client is a boat captain and was given a gas cylinder to transport by a “Spanish man.” Anderson’s lawyer, Mark Waldron, however, explained that his client owns a transportation service and was hired by Williams to be taken from Parika to Georgetown.

Police Prosecutor, Arwin Moore objected to the men being released on bail citing that no sufficient reason was raised for them to be granted their pre-trial liberty.

Nevertheless, the Magistrate released the men on $300,000 bail with the condition that they report to the Leonora Police Station every Friday. The matter was also transferred to the Leonora Magistrate’s Court for January 23, 2018.

According to a police report, Anderson was nabbed by ranks of the Force’s Narcotics Branch on December 24, 2017, at Boodhoo Housing Scheme, between 14:00-16:30hrs.

A search was first conducted inside the suspect’s house but it came up empty-handed when they decided to search his car and found the unusually heavy gas cylinder in the trunk. In the suspect’s presence, the enforcement officials, commanded by a Gazetted Officer, cut open the cylinder and found the illicit substance.