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Father jailed, son remanded in CJIA cocaine bust

Jun 24, 2014 News

A professional chef and his 19-year-old son were yesterday brought before the courts and indicted for drug trafficking in connection with the latest drug bust at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA).
The father Daren Harris and his son Daren, Jr, both Guyanese nationals, were allegedly found by the police and Customs Anti Narcotics Unit (CANU) on June 20, last, at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) with 1.454 and 1.176 kilograms of cocaine respectively.
They were reportedly busted with the cocaine in their suitcases at the airport whilst preparing to board an outgoing flight destined for the United States.
The 41-year-old father was yesterday morning brought before Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court to answer to the charge instituted against him by the police. He pleaded guilty.
Police Prosecutor, Corporal Bharat Mangru, explained that while at the airport, police ranks noticed him (Daren Harris) acting suspiciously and searched him.
Mangru noted that during the rummaging around his luggage, Constable Jeffery observed that the man’s suitcase handle was tampered with.
The cocaine, the Prosecutor said, was stuffed in the handle. Harris Snr. was arrested and subsequently charged for drug trafficking.
During mitigation, the father who resides at Samatta Point, Grove, East Bank Demerara told the court that he and his son were arrested at the airport but it belonged to him and not his son.
“I put it in my son’s suitcase.”
Harris Snr. was sentenced to three years’ imprisonment. During her ruling, the Chief Magistrate considered too that he had pleaded guilty and had not wasted the court’s time.
The father was told that coupled with his jail term, he will also have to pay a $30,000 fine for the crime.
Later that afternoon, Harris Jnr. was whisked before the Chief Magistrate and charged. He, however, pleaded not guilty and submitted a bail application through his lawyer, George Thomas.
CANU’s Prosecutor, Oswald Massiah stated that the teenager is Guyanese but had lived for some time in the US. He said that Harris Jnr. came to Guyana last December, and was returning last Friday.
Around 15:00 hours, as he was scanning his two suitcases, a CANU rank asked him to open them and in the larger suitcase there were two ladies bags therein.
The Prosecutor described the handles of the bag as “nutmegs stringed together.”
He said that the officer’s suspicion grew and he pierced the “nutmeg” thereby discovering a silver foil inside. Further checks revealed the powdery substance concealed therein.
The Prosecutor said that when the accused was cautioned, he stated that he was solicited by someone in the United States to transport the illicit substance.
Harris Jnr. was arrested and taken to CANU where the substance was weighed.
Massiah told the court that whilst in CANU’s custody the accused had provided several addresses to the court – Rosemary Lane in Tiger Bay, Norton Street but then finally took ranks to his mother’s house in D’Urban Street.
The charge was subsequently instituted against him.
Representing the accused was Attorney-at-Law George Thomas who stated that his client, a vendor, resides with his mother at Lot 27 D’Urban Street, Lodge.
He said his client had no prior charges or convictions.
Thomas claimed that his client was not a flight risk since his passport is currently in CANU’s possession. The lawyer made a request for a short adjournment date for trial.
Bail was refused and the accused was remanded to prison. The case will be called again on Thursday (June 26) before Magistrate Leron Daly at the Providence Magistrate’s Court.

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