Two more remanded in Demerara River drug bust

Jan 24, 2012 News

Two other men faced Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry for their suspected involvement in last Wednesday’s Demerara River drug bust by the Customs Anti- Narcotic Unit (CANU).
The men who appeared in court yesterday were fingered as affiliates of the three men who were previously charged.
Since the discovery, the boat captain, Billy Glasgow, and two others, Mark Singh and Steve Reddy, were remanded to jail.
Vishnu Sooklall, a security guard employed at a Fishermen’s Co-operative, and Shazim Dean, who allegedly had 27.230 kilograms of cocaine between Houston and Meadow Bank on January 18, were the ones remanded following yesterday’s court appearance.
Last Wednesday, following three months of intelligence gathering, CANU ranks intercepted a fishing vessel heading to Trinidad. Aboard the vessel, drug ranks alleged that cocaine and cannabis carrying a street value of $135M and $10M respectively were found.
Vic Puran who again appeared on behalf of CANU, said that the drug enforcement unit is eager to get the matter against the duo started. Puran also indicated that this speedy trial would take at least four hours of prosecuting time to get a conviction.
He alleged that Sooklall was knowledgeable about the illegal substances and was a cooperative defendant in the matter. He said Sooklall was arrested aboard the “Bismarck 2”with 27.230 kilogram of cocaine. Dean, he said, was alleged to have had drugs between two communities on the East Bank Demerara.
The defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges when it was read to them. Appearing on their behalf were attorney-at-law Euclin Gomes, who stood for Dean, and Peter Hugh and Latchmi Ramat for Sooklall.
Ramat alleged that her client was beaten by CANU ranks. Ramat told the court that a doctor’s visit was the only application she wished to make on behalf of her client.
This caused a bit of a controversy, as similar allegations were made against the drug ranks when the first set of accused men appeared in court. Peter Hugh had alleged that CANU ranks brutally assaulted his client. An offer was made by CANU for Hugh to have his client examined by a doctor of their choice in the presence of a police doctor.
Puran said yesterday that Hugh and his client never accepted the offer.
In light of this, Puran again challenged the attorneys to be specific in their claims. He asked for Ramat to enlighten the court as to who had beaten her client and where he was beaten. She claimed that she was not a medical practitioner and to do so would not credit the allegation.
Dean however gave descriptions and names of ranks who he claimed beat him. This caused the court to grant the medical which was ordered to be done as soon as the men left the court.

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Demerara Harbour Bridge

> Berbice Bridge […]

Two more remanded in Demerara River drug bust

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The Glenn Lall Show|| February, 10th, 2025

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