CANU arrested 35, convicted 4 on drug trafficking charges between Aug- Dec 2020

The Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) arrested a total of 35 persons for trafficking illegal drugs during the months of August to December 2020, the National Assembly was told on Wednesday.

But of this amount, only four persons have been convicted, according to information provided by Minister of Home Affairs, Robeson Benn. The minister was responding to questions put to him, by opposition Member of Parliament and Shadow Minister of Home Affairs, Geeta Chandan-Edmond.

The APNU+AFC Coalition MP also asked how many persons were prosecuted to which Minister Benn, in his written response, indicated a total of 13 persons. This shows that with 35 persons arrested during the five-month period, 13 were taken before the court of which only four were convicted.

No statistics were provided for the months of January and February 2021.

However, the most recent arrest would be a 23-year-old woman who was intercepted with cocaine, which was wrapped in a condom and placed in her vagina, at the Ogle airport on Saturday last. She also admitted to swallowing 73 cocaine-filled pellets.

CANU also secured a conviction on February 18, 2021 – Shaka Nunes, a 36-year-old labourer was sentenced to four years imprisonment and slapped with a $1.7M fine for smuggling cocaine in fudge, while his 46-year-old reputed wife, Vanica Williams was freed of the same charge.

In this instance, Nunes pleaded guilty and told the court that his wife is innocent.