Woman, 55, tried to smuggle cocaine to help son pay for wrecked car

Fifty-five-year-old Sandra Angela Profitt was on Thursday sentenced to four years jail and fined $9.1M for attempting to smuggle over seven pounds of cocaine through the Eugene F. Correia International Airport, Ogle East Coast Demerara.

Profitt made her appearance before Magistrate Rushell Liverpool at the Sparendaam Magistrate’s Court and pleaded guilty to the drug trafficking charge.

The woman was nabbed with the cocaine strapped to her body on Monday, April 29. It carried a street value of $3.5 million.

Profitt, of John Fernandes Drive, West Ruimveldt, Georgetown stood in the prisoner docks in tears as she apologised for her actions.

“My son had been involved in an accident recently and the owner of the car demanded that he buy a new car because of the damages it sustained.

“As a mother, I could not sit and watch my son go through that so I decided to do this,” Profitt said

Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) Prosecutor Konyo Sandiford told the court that on the day in question, Profitt was sitting in the departure area waiting to board a LIAT flight destined for Barbados when she was intercepted by CANU ranks.

Profitt, Sandiford said, was searched by the CANU ranks and six parcels of cocaine were duct taped to her legs; three on each thigh.

The Prosecutor told the court that during the investigation, Profitt cooperated with CANU and provided details about her supplier.

CANU has issued a wanted bulletin for Winston “Chief Mike” Carto of lot 193 Greenheart Street South Ruimveldt Gardens.

Carto is wanted in connection with recruiting Profitt to smuggle the cocaine.

CANU is asking that anyone with information about the whereabouts of CARTO to contact CANU on 227-3507 or 226-0431.