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Men get 60 months jail, fined $80M for ganja in salt bags

Nov 22, 2016 Court Stories, Features / Columnists, News

Fawad Hamid and Mark Douglas, the two men who were busted with almost 130 pounds of marijuana after a high speed chase with police, during which gunshots were exchanged, were jailed for 60 months and fined $80.7M each.
They were found guilty of trafficking narcotics by Magistrate Judy Latchman at the conclusion of a trial in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts yesterday.
Hamid, also known as ‘Not Nice’, 22, of Blairmont Estate, Berbice; and Douglas of Number Three Village, West Coast Berbice; had 58.843 kilograms of marijuana in their possession for the purpose of trafficking on March 12, at David Street, Kitty, Georgetown.
They were represented by Attorneys Mark Waldron and Clyde Forde respectively.
Based on reports, police acting on information travelled to the vicinity of Subs and Salads, Sheriff Street, Georgetown, where two vehicles were seen.
Hamid, who was the driver of one of the vehicles turned into David Street, Georgetown after seeing police ranks. Ranks intercepted the vehicle after an exchange of gunfire and conducted a search during which a quantity of compressed marijuana was found in five bags in the trunk of the vehicle.
However, during the trial, Hamid had told the court that he thought dry coconuts were in the salt bags which were given to him by Douglas.
According to Hamid whilst leaving his home on the day in question, Douglas approached him at a park at Rosignol, Berbice and asked if he wanted a taxi to Georgetown. Hamid recalled that Douglas told him he had some bags to take to the city and that they were only five minutes away. He said that Douglas left and returned with five salt bags and placed them into the trunk of the vehicle.
“He (Douglas) tell me the bags got to go to Georgetown and he gave me a phone number to call somebody. I put it (the phone number) in my cell phone. He said when I go on Sheriff Street call the (phone number) and a man will come and collect the (salt) bags.”
The convict said that he drove a car from Berbice and called the cell phone number given to him while on Sheriff Street, but got no answer which resulted in him calling Douglas who told him he would be there in two minutes.
Hamid said, “When Mark Douglas arrive he parked behind my car. When I stepped out my car to talk to Douglas I see a burgundy 212 (motorcar) pull up alongside Douglas car with four plainclothes police (ranks).”
Hamid stated that he rushed into his car and sped off after police ranks with guns approached Douglas. He said that after the police chased him firing shots he stopped his vehicle and surrendered.
Hamid told the court that he was taken to Police Narcotics Branch, Eve Leary, Georgetown, where police ranks opened the salt bags in the presence of Mark Douglas and disclosed that the bag contained marijuana.
Hamid related that he told police that the drug belonged to Douglas and they promised to send him home if he testified against Douglas.
In spite of the promise, Hamid related police informed him that he and Douglas would be jointly charged for the offence.

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