Hotel owner arrested with $27.8M in drugs; tried to pay Police to get it back

Marlon Jarvis, a 44-year-old Tabatinga, Lethem hotelier was on Monday remanded to prison on a charge that he had $27.8 million worth in narcotics for the purpose of trafficking and attempted to bribe his way out.

Jarvis, the owner of Marlon’s and Sons Hotel and Bar, appeared before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court and pleaded not guilty to three charges.

Police claimed that on April 3, on two occasions, Jarvis was found with narcotics for the purpose of trafficking.

On the first occasion, he was found with 53.4 kilogrammes of cannabis and on the other occasion, he was found with 1.59 kilogrammes of cocaine.

At the same time, he gave $180,000 to his friend Samuel Trotman, who claimed he could have the narcotics charges dropped.

Jarvis’ attorney, Jerome Khan, told the court that on the day in question his client received a call from his friend, Trotman, who informed him [Jarvis] that he was in trouble with the Police.

Trotman asked Jarvis to take the money to him and he would use it to pay the Police.

However, Khan noted that when Jarvis showed up with the money, they were both arrested.

Police Prosecutor Gordon Mansfield told the court that on the day in question, Police from Lethem went to an unfinished flat structure at Tabatinga and conducted a search.

While searching the structure a man was seen running from the premises and escaped.

A further investigation was done and Trotman was arrested.

Trotman, during an interview with the Police, received a call on his cell phone from Jarvis.

Prosecutor Mansfield told the court that during the conversation, Jarvis told Trotman about paying the Police $1.2M for the drugs to be returned to him.

The Chief Magistrate, after listening to both sides, remanded Jarvis to prison.

Jarvis will make his next appearance at the Lethem Magistrate’s Court on April 18, 2019.