Mother of 7 remanded on cocaine charge

A 42-year-old Guyanese mother of seven was remanded to prison on Thursday for attempting to traffick four pounds of cocaine in items concealed in her suitcase through the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA).

Tommy Ann Bunbury appeared before Magistrate Sunil Scarce at the Diamond/Grove Magistrate’s Court and pleaded not guilty to the drug trafficking charge.

Particulars of the charge alleged that on November 23, 2020, at CJIA, Bunbury had 1.948 kilograms of cocaine in her possession for the purpose of trafficking.

Prosecutor of the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU), Konyo Sandiford objected to bail and cited the nature and gravity of the charge. She was remanded until December 23.

According to the state’s case, on the day in question, Bunbury was an outgoing passenger booked to travel on a flight destined to JFK New York via Eastern Airlines. She travelled from Suriname to Guyana on November 21, to embark on the flight.

CANU officers at the airport conducted a search on Bunbury’s 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.

Bunbury was arrested at the airport and taken to CANU headquarters, where the drug was weighed in front of her and then charged for the offence.

Bunbury is a food vendor of Condor Straat #1 Paramaribo; she is also of lot 10 Victoria Road, Plaisance, East Coast Demerara.