Cocaine in SSS tonic…Father says son out of danger

May 07, 2014 News

– CANU speaks of “new form of trafficking”

Stable: Jamal Waterman

By Zena Henry and Romila Boodram
Jamal Waterman, one of the five persons who unwittingly ingested the contents of a bottle labelled SSS tonic, which was laced with liquefied cocaine and was to have been carried to the USA, appears to be out of danger.
The 12-year-old is hospitalised at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) and according to his father, Wilbert Waterman, his son is talking, walking and he seems healthy.
However, the man said that the difficult part is to convey the deaths of the four persons, which includes his mother and brother, to him.
The father is presently working with a social worker to find a way to inform the boy about the tragedy.
Jamal Waterman’s mother, Simone Pryce, 36; her reputed husband, Alex Blair, 42; their six-year-old son, Jahaquel Blair and a family friend, Natasha George, 36, all of East La Penitence died at GPHC last Sunday after ingesting the deadly brew.
Yesterday, head of the local anti-drug unit, James Singh said concerns are rising as the recently found liquefied cocaine in a multivitamin tonic appears to be a new form of trafficking method for Guyana.
The Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) is the country’s leading drug investigating arm, and according to Singh, while the police are taking the lead in this case, in which four people are dead and one hospitalized, they are doing their own checks in finding out who is responsible for sourcing the illegal substance.
Singh further told Kaieteur News that CANU is making all the necessary checks in relation to the drug connections, but one main concern, “is that we now have to look out for drugs being trafficked in this form.”
James said that the agency has dealt with cases involving liquefied cocaine, but never before has it been trafficked this way (in medicine). He agreed that a special process would be needed to distill the two mixtures before bringing the drug to its solid form.
Guyana has seen several methods of trafficking cocaine: in lumber, coconut milk, achar, rice and pumpkin just to name a few. CANU says it will now be adding medicine to the list.
Crime Chief Leslie James told Kaieteur News yesterday that investigators are still seeking persons of interest.
It is alleged that a cousin of Pryce, referred to as “Barney”, is the one who gave the deadly substance to her sister to take to USA to give to someone. The woman, however, refused to take the bottle to the United States, claiming that the mutlivitamin is cheap over there.
She is scheduled to return to Guyana by weekend.
According to sources, she has expressed regret and anger at what transpired and is in contact with the police.
The Crime Chief said that the police have been speaking with the woman, but he is unaware of her return.
So far no arrest has been made following the death of the persons. Two persons were held but later released as investigations revealed that they were not involved with the illicit item.