Five arrested in separate cocaine busts

Five men were arrested following three separate cocaine busts on Tuesday, after officers from the Customs Anti-Narcotic Unit (CANU) conducted operations in several areas.

In the first operation, 34-year-old Latchram Parmesh and Yusuf Persaud, were nabbed with about 4.7 pounds of cocaine while driving along the Bagotstown Public Road.

A CANU press release noted that officers were conducting an operation in the area when they intercepted the white car (HD 1446) with the men inside.

Upon searching the vehicle, two brick-like parcels of suspected cocaine were discovered.

Parmesh of Lot 1775 Zeelugt, East Bank Essequibo (EBE) and Yusuf, of Lot 1088 Tuschen, EBE, were arrested and escorted to CANU Headquarters with the suspected cocaine.

CANU said the narcotics tested positive for cocaine and had a total weight of 2.140 kilograms (or about 4.7 pounds) carrying a street value of about $2.1 million.

Additionally, at Goed Fortuin, West Bank Demerara (WBD), another two brick-like parcels of suspected cocaine were found in a motor van (#GAC 8942) occupied by William Mittelholzer, 51, of 179 Republic Gardens, Georgetown and Anthony Cadogan, 42, of 84 Adelaide Street, Charlestown, Georgetown.

The men were arrested and escorted to CANU Headquarters with the suspected cocaine. The cocaine was tested and amounted to 2.174 kg (or about 4.7 pounds) with a street value of about $2.2 million.

Meanwhile, at Goedverwagting on the East Coast of Demerara (ECD), a smaller quantity of cocaine was found hidden in the pants of 63-year-old Roy Thomas.

CANU noted that Thomas’s car (PXX 3869) was intercepted on Tuesday and searched by CANU officers. When the man’s body was searched, the cocaine was found in his pants.

He was escorted to the headquarters where the suspected substance was confirmed as cocaine; it amounted to 16.8 grams.