$300M cocaine bust….Family was under three month surveillance

Aug 18, 2011 News

Sources close to Leonard Bacchus and his wife, the persons arrested on Tuesday following the multi-million dollar drug bust at Haslington New Scheme, East Coast Demerara, have told Kaieteur News that the family was in deep financial problems.
This newspaper was told that the family started experiencing problems about three months ago; just around the time the police started investigating Bacchus who along with his family moved into the area sometime around 2008.

The house where the drugs were found.

Bacchus, according to sources, started operating a taxi service a few months ago. According to neighbours, the couple and their children seemed easy going and residents were left in a state of shock and disbelief when the police swooped down at the home on Tuesday.
This newspaper was told that the lawmen started searching the home sometime after 13:00hrs and never finished until 17:00hrs that day.
Kaieteur News understands that the lawmen removed over two Canter trucks full of the Hindu Spiritual Kunds. The “Kunds” are usually made of copper.
Further, this newspaper understands that the businessman was seen for the past three months, bringing the “Kunds” to and from his home.
“He would bring them, then take it inside. Afterwards, they would be taken away looking shiny and ready for shipment,” one source said.
Persons are convinced that Bacchus, who is said to be the nephew of self confessed informant George Bacchus, was not working alone.
Kaieteur News was also told that Bacchus was facing financial troubles and his home was in the process of being repossessed by the bank.
Also this newspaper understands that one of the businessman’s cars was recently repossessed.
Meanwhile, the police in a press release stated yesterday that police ranks who conducted the search found 72 kilograms of cocaine concealed in the false bottoms of a number of spiritual kunds.

The Hindu Religious Kunds

The officers also found one hundred and twenty five (125) 12 gauge cartridges and one hundred and fifty (150) .32 rounds of ammunition.
Kaieteur News understands that the couple has disclaimed knowledge of the cocaine and has implicated a friend.
The wife and husband remained in police custody up until press time.