Five persons were Friday released on $500,000 bail each for the recent cocaine and ecstasy bust at Prashad Nagar, Georgetown.
They are 62-year-old Lena Narine known as ‘Aunty Lena’; 60-year-old James Herbert known as ‘Uncle James’; 71-year-old Kay Jennifer Butcher; 27-year-old Jamal Narine known as ‘Tunks’ and 47-year-old Gregory Faria – a Surinamese.
The five persons were arraigned before City Magistrate Sherdel Isaacs-Marcus at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court.
The quintet denied that on March 29, at Prashad Nagar, they had 11.4 kilograms (25 lbs) of cocaine in their possession for the purpose of trafficking.
As the court proceeding was ongoing, attorney Patrice Henry brought an individual to the courts, who he said is admitting ownership of the narcotics.
However, the CANU prosecutor, Richard Harris rejected the lawyers’ claims since he is of the view that it might be a ploy for somebody else to take the rap for the crime.
Nevertheless, the Prosecutor advised the attorney to take his client to CANU headquarters.
Meanwhile, Lena Narine was charged separately for trafficking 266 grams of ecstasy on the same date and location. She pleaded not guilty.
The parties were represented by a battery of attorneys consisting of Nigel Williams, Dexter Smartt, Everton Singh-Lemmy and Dexter Todd.
According to the facts presented by the CANU prosecutor, on the day in question about 19:45 hours, CANU ranks were conducting surveillance and observed a motorcar bearing a sheriff taxi logo parked on the opposite side of the house.
Ranks allegedly saw Lena Narine placing a pink bag into the vehicle and returned to the house.
Subsequently, another motorcar, driven by James Herbert, arrived and parked in front of the house.
It is alleged that Herbert came out of his car with a black plastic bag in his hand and went into the house where he was greeted by Narine, who was standing at the front door.
CANU ranks entered the yard and went into the house and saw the three other accused standing inside.
The ranks searched a black plastic bag, which was on a chair, and found five brown parcels of suspected cocaine.
A further search was conducted and another black plastic bag was found under some chair cushions. A search was conducted on the plastic bag and five brown brick-like parcels were found.
Ranks also searched the motorcar which had the taxi logo and found a quantity of multi-coloured pills suspected to be ecstasy.
According to prosecutor Harris, the defendants were all arrested and taken to CANU headquarters. He also told the court that Herbert gave a caution statement to ranks admitting his involvement.
The Magistrate released the quintet on $500,000 bail each. Narine was granted an additional $500,000 bail for the separate charge.
As a condition of their bail, the Magistrate ordered the defendants to lodge their passports at the court and return on May 4, for disclosure.
