A woman targeted as a drug courier

Apr 01, 2018 News

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By Telesha A. Jules

On October 10, 2017, I was travelling from Ogle International Airport in Guyana to Grantley Adams International Airport in Barbados. I checked in at the LIAT airline counter and then was processed by Security and Immigration. I went through the normal procedures while being processed by these two entities.
After that, Ms. Mercedes Theobald, a Customs and Anti- Narcotics Officer, asked to inspect my passport and carry- on luggage. In my carry- on was a brand new lunch bag. Ms. Theobald asked me who am I taking the Lunch Bag to and I said my boyfriend in Barbados. The Lunch Bag contained two gel packs. She asked me what was contained in the gel packs. I said to Ms. Theobald that I do not know the exact contents of the packs but only that you may freeze them to keep the contents of the Lunch Bag cool. Ms. Theobald was not satisfied with that explanation, she proceeded to obtain a small knife and scotch tape.
She instructed me to puncture one of the gel packs with the knife, which Ms. Theobald then squeezed to reveal the contents of the gel pack. It was a clear gel-like substance. When Ms. Theobald was satisfied that it was just gel she sealed the punctured area with the scotch tape she had obtained earlier.
While I was re-packing my carry-on, Ms. Theobald left and returned quickly and accompanied me to the departure lounge of Ogle Intl Airport. She then asked me to urinate in a small plastic drinking cup because she wanted to acquire a sample of my urine. I informed Ms. Theobald that I was menstruating at the moment. I accompanied her to a washroom. Ms. Theobald told me that I should urinate in the cup with the toilet cover down; however, she only informed me of this requirement as I had already started to urinate when she pushed open the bathroom door to tell me.
When I had finished urinating in the same small plastic drinking cup and had redressed myself, I opened the door to the toilet and Ms. Theobald came in and took the sample of my urine. She then proceeded to pour the urine in the cup on what appeared to be some kind of testing apparatus.
After Ms. Theobald had finished the apparent testing of my urine, she instructed me to have a seat in the departure lounge as we left the washroom. After the episode in the washroom, Ms. Theobald returned to me in the departure lounge and stated that she wanted me to drink some water and that she wanted to repeat the urine test about a half hour later.
Ms. Theobald then escorted me to a room. Inside the room was a ‘made’ bed, a desk, chair, a water dispenser and plastic cups. As I proceeded to drink the water and, in between sips, I said to Ms. Theobald, ‘I do not appreciate the embarrassment that she is causing me and that this is an insult.
I reminded her that she did the same thing to me in 2015. Ms. Theobald responded by saying that, ‘no one would have seen me being escorted to and fro at the airport.’ I said to her, ‘Of course they saw.
I said to Ms. Theobald, ‘I do not traffic drugs,’ While I was sitting on the bench, I was approached by a female security guard who informed me that Ms. Theobald had requested that I give my Passport to her so that Ms. Theobald may examine it.
After sitting in the same area for about fifteen minutes, I heard an announcement over the Airport’s public address system. The announcement was to alert passengers travelling from Ogle Int’l to Grantley Adams International, that they should be seated in the departure lounge.
After listening to the announcement, I approached Ms. Theobald and, as she saw me approaching her, she returned my passport. I asked Ms. Theobald if I would have to clear immigration again, she then asked if I would like her to escort me and I said yes. After clearing immigration again, I was once more seated in the departure lounge.
After about ten minutes, a tall, slim male, whom I assumed was an employee of the Airport, approached me and pointed to in the direction of Ms. Theobald, who was seated at the door of the departure lounge. I went to Ms. Theobald and she opened a book and said to me, See? You’re not the only person who gets harassed.’
Ms. Theobald then asked me for my name, where I was staying with in Barbados, and the name of the person at which I was residing and the nature of their occupation. However, Ms. Theobald wasn’t satisfied with the address in Barbados that I had given her, so she asked me to call the person to try to see if I can obtain a more accurate address. I said to her that I will try to contact them via ‘Whatsapp.’
After a few moments after I had messaged my party in Barbados, Ms. Theobald returned to ask if I had made contact with my party in Barbados, to which I replied, ‘not as yet.’ Ms. Theobald then went on her way.
Ms. Theobald did not harass me again. I spent about fifteen minutes in the departure lounge before I boarded the LIAT flight that was destined for Barbados. The time that I was finally seated on the plane was approximately 2:23p.m.
I landed at Grantley Adams International Airport at 4:45p.m. It was a long wait to clear Immigration; however, I was finally instructed to proceed to booth #19 to be processed. The immigration officer took my passport, the entry form, along with my ticket. She asked me where would be my place of residence while in Barbados, the nature of the relationship between the person and me, she then asked for a contact number of the person at which I would be residing. Afterwards, she stamped my passport and gave me back the documents that I would’ve handed her.
As I was leaving immigration to collect my luggage, I was intercepted by two members of the Royal Barbados Police Force, one male, the other obviously female. The male officer, a police Constable Collymore proceeded to ask me where I was residing in Barbados during my stay in the country, how long was I staying and who I was staying with.
The female member of the Royal Barbados Police Force asked me if my carry-on was the only luggage that I had to which I replied, no. She then instructed me to go collect the rest of my luggage, which I did. The two members of the Royal Barbados Police Force told me to wait as they spoke to a female Customs Officer.
The female Customs Officer then called me over and asked me to place my luggage on the counter. I opened my ‘check in luggage and she unpacked the contents while wearing gloves. She opened my deodorant, body cream and body spray, she then asked me to re-pack my check-in suitcase. She then followed the same procedure for my carry-on.
She asked me about the lunch bag and the gel packs that were inside; I explained their intended use and she replaced them in the lunch bag. She then proceeded to check my shoes, when she was satisfied she asked me to re-pack my carry-on. She also checked a small bag that I had around my shoulder. She then went away; however, I wasn’t aware of where she went as I was busy re-packing my carry-on.
On her return, she informed me that I would have to submit to a check of my person. I complied. She then escorted me to a room. Once I was inside, the female Customs Officer who had processed me outside was now accompanied by another female Customs Officer. The officer, who’d processed me was now instructing me to remove my shoes and to stand on a piece of Cardboard.
She then asked me to remove my clothing to which I complied until I got to my brassiere and panty because I didn’t think that they meant all of my clothing. I informed the customs that I was menstruating and I wanted to change my sanitary napkin and apply a fresh one. She obliged but informed me that one of them would have to observe me throughout the whole process.
After I was finished, I was then instructed to stand on the piece of cardboard again and at this point, I had to remove my brassiere and panty as well. I was then instructed to assume a stooping position and to cough. It appeared that my first two attempts at coughing were not satisfactory to the two customs officers so I was asked to cough harder the second and third time. I was then instructed to get dressed. As I was dressing, the Customs Officer who checked my luggage asked the other officer if she had checked my shoes to which she replied yes. I was not aware that my shoes were checked as it must have occurred while I was changing my sanitary napkin in the bathroom.
I was asked to undo my hairstyle which I had pinned up on the top of my head and held in place by several hairpins, I was asked to run my hand through my braids and to shake them as well. When they were apparently satisfied, I was then escorted outside.
One of the Customs Officers recorded the information from my passport and then she handed my Passport to Police Constable Collymore and she told me that I was free to go. I approached P.C. Collymore to obtain my passport and he said to me, ‘Ms. Jules, based on my suspicions, I believe that you have ingested drugs and that you have to accompany us to the Oistins Police Station, then to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, to have an x-ray done on your stomach. So if you know that you have the drugs in your stomach, you need to say and be honest with us.’
I responded by saying that I did not swallow anything. The female member of the Royal Barbados Police Force asked me if I have any phones in my possession and I said I have one. She asked for it and I gave it to her. I was then escorted to a gray vehicle in colour and transported to the Oistins Police Station.
I left the Grantley Adams International Airport in the custody of the Royal Barbados Police Force at approximately 6:05p.m.
On the way to the Oistins Police Station, I asked to place a call to my party who was supposed to collect me at the Airport. The female officer responded by saying that that wouldn’t be possible until everything was finished. While still on the way to the Police Station, I was interrogated as to the nature of the relationship between my party that was supposed to receive me and myself, where we met and the nature of his occupation.
The female member of the R.B.P.F. asked me if I was ok to which I replied no. She asked why and I told her that I didn’t appreciate the treatment I received at the hands of the Barbados authorities and that I have no interest in returning to Barbados.
On arrival at the Oistins Police Station, I was asked to give my name to the Officer in uniform stationed at the desk; also my address, and a contact number in Guyana. While I was sitting at a desk in the station, the female officer asked me if I was ok yet again, I said yes.
I then asked her how much longer this episode would last as I was tired and that I received the same sort of treatment in Guyana. She asked me what happened and I told her of the events that would have transpired at Ogle International Airport. She said Ok and the conversation ended. Approximately fifteen minutes later, we were on our way to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital.
On arrival at Q.E.H. before we exited the vehicle, Police Constable Collymore gave the female member of the R.B.P.F. who was with him, an object that resembled a clear ‘Ziploc’ bag and said to her in a low voice, ‘That this is for the things she will pass out.’
I was ushered to the accident and emergency department of the Q.E.H. on arrival at the Hospital. The person at the counter, who appeared to be some kind of Clerk, asked for my address in Guyana, my age, telephone number, and next of kin.
After a brief wait, I was ushered into a room by a uniformed nurse, who then measured my blood pressure and asked me if I was allergic to any medications. I told her no. I was then asked to go back to where I was seated outside.
Then the two members of the R.B.P.F. asked me to accompany them down a hallway where we all stood outside a room. A man, whom I assumed to be a doctor, approached us standing in the hallway outside of the room. He asked me to have a seat right there.
I was standing. He asked me if I have any medical issues to which I replied that I have been diagnosed with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome but I wasn’t aware that I was allergic to any medication. He then called a female who I also assumed was a nurse as she was wearing what appeared to be ‘scrubs.’
The man then gave the nurse what appeared to be a file and she then invited me to accompany her into the room, the female member of the R.B.P.F. was also present in the room at this time. The woman instructed me to remove my brassiere and shoes. She then asked me to lie on a gurney, which was cold and uncovered. She asked me to lie flat. She then proceeded to give me an abdominal examination during which time she asked me if I was feeling any pain. I said no. She then told me to follow her instructions. The woman went to what must have been a monitor across the room, she asked me to breathe in and out, to breathe normally then she repeated the instructions again.
Then the female member of the R.B. P. F signalled for me to get dressed. I was sitting outside the room again. The man who appeared to be a doctor came outside and sat at a desk where I was seated. The man said that this x-ray is negative. He then asked why this young lady was brought here.
Police Constable Collymore answered, ‘On suspicion of ingesting narcotics.’ Then the female officer communicated to someone that the x-ray was negative.
While exiting the Q.E.H., Police Constable Collymore asked me if I am still not talking to him and I replied no. He said, ‘Ms. Jules, everything is over and feel free to return to Barbados.’
I then asked P.C. Collymore why he suspected me of trafficking drugs. I then asked if I may take my luggage from the vehicle and he said no.
P.C. Collymore stated that I will have to accompany them back to the Oistins Police Station. He told me that when we returned there, I would be allowed to place a call to my party that was collecting me and that if I were unsuccessful in reaching my party, transportation would be provided to my intended place of residence.
While still on the way back to the station, P.C. Collymore gave the female member of the Force my Cellular Phone, she asked him why are you giving this to me? He told her to give it to me. On arrival at the Police station once again, I was allowed to remove my luggage from the vehicle and then we went into the station.
I was led into a room where P.C Collymore, the female member of the R.B.P.F and another male were present. P.C. Collymore then proceeded to write his version of the events that would have transpired from the time I was arrested at the Grantley Adams International Airport to the time I returned to the station from the Hospital.
He then gave me the version of the events that he’d written. He asked me to read it and sign it if I agreed with his version of the events. I signed the document. I also had to sign the book of the Diarist who was stationed at the front desk of the Oistins Police Station.
P.C. Collymore asked me if I was hungry and I said no. I said that I was tired as I had been awake since 5a.m. I told him that I was harassed in Guyana before I came here. He asked me by whom in Guyana and I told him that it was a Customs and Anti-Narcotics Officer and that it was the second time that she had done this to me.
P.C. Collymore asked me if I had addressed the matter through any official channels and I said no but I assured him that I would pursue the matter upon my return to Guyana. The female officer of the R.B.P.F. exited the room and came back shortly afterwards to inform me that my party was outside to collect me.
I left the Oistins Police Station at approximately 9:25p.m.

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