$550M worth of cocaine in wood...Magistrate discharges Stephen Vieira

$550M worth of cocaine in wood…Magistrate discharges Stephen Vieira

May 23, 2017 News

-as CANU withdraws arrest warrant

Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan has withdrawn a warrant issued for the arrest of racing bike champion, Stephen Vieira, in connection with a $550M cocaine bust, after he made an appearance before her yesterday in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.
Vieira was accompanied by his Attorney-at-Law Latchmie Rahamat.

Stephen Vieira makes his way into the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts accompanied by his Attorney-at-Law Latchmie Rahamat.

Customs Anti Narcotic Unit (CANU) prosecutor, Konyo Sandiford, made an application before the Chief Magistrate to have the warrant discharged.
The application was granted and Vieira, who was seated in the prisoner’s dock, was told that he was free to leave the courtroom.
Vieira was wanted for questioning by CANU following the discovery of some 84.986 kilogrammes of cocaine worth $550M in lumber at the Lot 227 Zeelugt, East Bank Essequibo premises of Akeem Mohamed.
Thus far, no one has been charged over the cocaine find as investigations continue.
Vieira was arrested last week Thursday at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) after disembarking a flight from Jamaica, where he had gone to part take in a race event.
Kaieteur News understands that the bust was made after CANU officials received a tip off.
When they acted, the boards were being packed onto a truck.
The truck driver and porters were arrested but were subsequently released after it was discovered that the vehicle and its workers were hired to transport the timber.
The drug agency in a release said that ranks conducted a search at the parapet in front of the premises of Mohamed and searched a truck laden with several pallets of 1×6 dressed lumber boards prepared for export.
Several pieces of boards were drilled randomly by the ranks and revealed a whitish substance.
The lumber was packed at a sawmill located at Lookout, East Bank Essequibo belonging to Narine Lall to be transported to a wharf in Georgetown and then shipped to the United States of America, CANU stated.
Lall, who is said to be out of the jurisdiction, is wanted by the counter narcotics agency.
Canu in a statement said that Vieira is listed on the shipping documents as a representative of the shipper, Narine Lall. Tazim Gafoor and his son, Nazim along with Hakim Mohamed were also arrested and were subsequently released.
CANU also seized a Digital Video Recording Device retrieved from Nazim Gafoor.
It is hoped that material of evidential value is found after analysis.
According to CANU, Tazim Gafoor was placed before the court charged for his role in another cocaine matter. The 43-year-old man of Lot 39 Menzies Street, Windsor Forest, West Coast Demerara was charged with attempting to pervert the course of justice, last year September following the discovery of over nine kilogrammes of cocaine.

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