A 42-year-old Guyanese mother of seven is in police custody after she was reportedly busted at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport on Monday with 1.948 kilograms (four pounds) of cocaine concealed in a book, her make-up, personal items and stationeries.
A report from the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) noted that Tommy Ann Bunbury, a food vendor, was an outgoing passenger booked to travel on a flight destined to JFK New York via Eastern Airlines. She travelled from Suriname to Guyana recently to embark on the flight.
According to CANU, the officer conducted a search on two suitcases, her carry-on piece and a number of objects, including a hardcover book, handbag, makeup kits, deodorants, nail polish covers, mascara and permanent markers when “whitish substances suspected to be cocaine” emanated from the said objects.
She was arrested and taken to CANU pending investigations. CANU said Bunbury is a food vendor at Downtown café Wiek Straat Paramaribo, Suriname and she allegedly resides at Condor Straat #1 Paramaribo; she is also of lot 10 Victoria Road, Plaisance, East Coast Demerara.
“She allegedly has been living in Suriname for the past six years and periodically returns to Guyana to fulfil immigration obligations,” CANU noted.