‘Diamond’ remanded on drug trafficking charge

One day after he was nabbed with $7M worth in cannabis following a high-speed chase with ranks of the Customs Anti-Narcotic Unit (CANU), businessman, Odearie Phillips called ‘Diamond’ was remanded to prison on Thursday.

Phillips, 25, of Vigilance Housing Scheme, East Coast Demerara, appeared before Magistrate Fabayo Azore at the Vigilance Magistrate’s Court.

He denied that on February 1, 2023, at Buxton, East Coast Demerara, he had 23.2kgs (51.1 pounds) of cannabis in his possession for the purpose of trafficking.

Phillips was remanded to prison until March 20, 2023.

According to a release from CANU, ranks conducted an operation to intercept a vehicle that drove into Buxton and evaded the officers on several occasions, “including at a roadblock on Buxton public road.”

A search of the vehicle led to the discovery of twelve (12) parcels of cannabis. Phillips was arrested.

CANU said that “Members of the public became hostile, assaulted several officers, and damaged several of the unit’s vehicles in an attempt to free Phillips who was in lawful custody, by pulling him out of CANU’s vehicle. This resulted in several shots being discharged in the air.”

The incident led to a fiery protest by residents in Buxton, who blocked the roads, attacked a driver and set his truck on fire.