From body strapping to Chinese sauce…Battle of wits continues between local drug traffickers and agents

Jun 27, 2016 News

Let’s face it: drug smuggling is a crime and drug traffickers continue to barefacedly come up with clever means to get their products to customers. But you have to admit that they are every creative. Some of the methods used to get the drugs from here to there are nothing short of extraordinary.
Cocaine in Chinese sauce
It was on March 19, 2015 that narcotics ranks at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) unearthed 40.4KG of cocaine concealed in containers containing Chinese sauce. These containers were among 50 buckets of mixed fruits and seasoning that were intended to be shipped to the USA by Darshanan Balram, a 28-year-old exporter of Bourda, Georgetown.

Body strapped
Customs Anti Narcotic Unit ranks busted a 21-year-old mother of two with 3.040KG of cocaine strapped to her body at the Eugene F. Correira International Airport on June 15.
The woman, Angelica Forde of Vryhied’s Lust, East Coast Demerara along with her children were at the time scheduled to board a flight to Barbados.
The illicit substance was concealed in packets hidden under her clothing.

Shoe soles with cocaine

Kurt Sunich

JAILED:
Angelica Ford

Ex- CANU officer Kurt Sunich and Israel George conspired with each other to traffick 580 grams of cocaine to the USA. It was discovered by CANU ranks they had neatly packed the cocaine in shoe soles and placed it in the airport’s washroom. George was the one who went into the washroom to retrieve the items and was later arrested after ranks overheard him in a suspicious phone conversation.

Mail bag
A former customs officer who was promised $US1, 000 to load a mail bag containing envelopes with cocaine inside was busted at the CJIA before the bag could have been loaded onto a flight destined for New York. It was 647 grams of cocaine Clive David of Princes Street, Georgetown had intended to help a “Yankee” post.
Stashed in underwear
On January 28, former national cyclist, Kwame Cumberbatch was found with 194 grams of cocaine in his underwear minutes before he was scheduled to board a LIAT flight destined for Trinidad.

JAILED:
Darshanan Balram

JAILED:
Damario Cheslie

Cumberbatch of Cummings Street, Georgetown was searched by narcotics ranks stationed at the then Ogle International Airport when it was discovered that he had 46 pellet-shaped parcel wrapped in transparent plastic in his underwear.
He had also swallowed 16 pellets containing cocaine which he later excreted at the Georgetown Public Hospital.

Cocaine in privates
Damario Cheslie was the 21-year-old Surinamese mother that was found with as parcel containing cocaine concealed in a condom inside her vagina.
On May 17, 2015 the woman was an outgoing passenger at the then Ogle International Airport, when she was noticed by police acting in a suspicious manner.
When questioned by officers Cheslie also admitted that she had swallowed 42 pellets containing cocaine and was later taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital where she excreted them.

Stuffed in egg-plant
In March, 2013 CANU ranks stationed at the CJIA were checking a shipment of egg-plants when they noticed that the head of one of the vegetables “fell off”.
This raised suspicions and further checks were made on the cargo. It was revealed that the pulp of the vegetables was replaced with transparent plastic bags containing cocaine.
Basmati Persaud, called ‘Lolita’ of 460 Grass Field, Lusignan, East Coast Demerara was arrested in connection with the shipment.
These persons mentioned in relation to the various drug busts are currently serving jail sentences after they either pleaded guilty to the crimes or were convicted by a court.