Businessman on cocaine trafficking charge released on $200,000 bail

Businessman Mark Gomes was on Monday released on $200,000 bail on a charge of trafficking over 24 grams of cocaine at his Craig Street, Campbellville, home.

Gomes, 38, appeared before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court and pleaded not guilty.

Particulars of the charge alleged that Gomes on September 9, at Lot 32 and Lot 34 Craig Street, Campbellville, had 24.4 grams for the purpose of trafficking.

According to the CANU prosecutor Richard Harris, on the day in question, ranks acting on information received went to the property and conducted a narcotics operation.

The CANU ranks searched a wooden shack and found several glass tubes which contained cocaine inside. The ranks also unearthed two red cylinders hidden in the floorboard of the shack. The cylinders had cocaine stashed inside.

Harris said that under caution, Gomes allegedly admitted ownership of the wooden shack and the cocaine. During the operation, the defendant’s father, Andre Gomes called “Zipper” was also arrested.

The prosecutor said that in 2018, Gomes was sentenced to four years imprisonment along with a $6.M fine after he was convicted on a drug trafficking charge. However, he had appealed the conviction and sentencing and is currently on bail pending appeal.

The defendant’s lawyer, Siand Dhurjon, told the court that the wooden shack does not belong to his client. Additionally, Dhurjon said that Gomes and his father were not around when the search was conducted by the CANU ranks.

The Chief Magistrate released Gomes on $200,000 bail and adjourned the matter until October 3.