Teen among four charged with trafficking 22lbs cocaine

Four men from Berbice, including a 14-year-old boy, appeared before Chief Magistrate, Ann McLennan at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court on Friday, charged in connection with the discovery of 22lbs of cocaine which was found in the parking lot of the Popeye’s Restaurant, Vlissengen Road on August 14, 2018.

Denzil Park, 49, his 14-year-old son [who cannot be named for legal reasons], 47-year-old Ricardo DenHart, and Patrick Ram denied the charge which alleged that they trafficked 10.078 kilograms of the illegal substance.

The men were represented by Attorney-at-law, Nigel Hughes who applied for bail.

Police Prosecutor, Gordon Mansfield informed the court that the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) officers were on a sting operation at the Fast Food restaurant when they observed two vehicles.

It is alleged that ranks observed when DenHart exited motorcar PWW 8454 with a multi-coloured shopping bag and gave it to Ram in minibus PKK 6944. The court heard that Park and his son were also inside the minibus.

The CANU officers then approached both vehicles and conducted a search when they found several ‘square like bricks’ wrapped in parcels behind the driver’s seat of the minibus.

The parcels contained cocaine, the court was told and according to Prosecutor Mansfield, CANU has the CCTV surveillance footage from the restaurant.

The Magistrate released the 14-year-old boy $200,000 bail and remanded the other defendants. The matter is adjourned to August 31.