Cocaine supplier gets four years, $3.3M fine after mule squeals

Jul 27, 2018 News

Jailed: Kelvien Sauers

Three weeks after a female teen was sentenced to three years’ imprisonment and fined $1.4M having been nabbed at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, Timehri, with a quantity of cocaine, her supplier was yesterday charged and sentenced to four years for trafficking cocaine.

Kelvien Sauers, 23, of Lot 8 Enterprise, East Coast Demerara, appeared before Magistrate Peter Hugh in the Vigilance Magistrates’ Courts, and pleaded guilty to the charge which stated that on July 6 at Enterprise, East Coast Demerara, he had in his possession 1.608 kilograms of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking.

Facts presented by Custom Anti Narcotics Unit (CANU) Prosecutor, Konyo Sandiford, stated that on the day in question, CANU ranks visited Sauers’ home following the arrest of Anesha Hardy at the CJIA.

Hardy told CANU ranks that Sauers provided her with the cocaine pellets. Based on the information provided, CANU ranks went to the man’s residence.

The court heard that when the ranks arrived at Sauers’ home, he was seen jumping through a window and making good his escape, leaving behind two haversacks.

A search was then conducted in the haversacks and 279 cocaine pellets were discovered in one of the haversacks, while the other had equipment used to make the cocaine pellets.

A wanted bulletin was then issued for his arrest and he subsequently turned himself in on July 24.

The Prosecutor went on to tell the court that while in custody he admitted in a caution statement that the bag of cocaine belonged to him.

The Magistrate before sentencing Sauers asked him why he should not get the custodial sentence and he stated “I get a two year old son and a girlfriend, I was just trying to provide for them.”

The Magistrate however told the defendant that based on the fact that a teen swallowed 119 cocaine-filled pellets and the fact that she was jailed, he is of the opinion that Sauers has a well-organized cocaine business; hence he was sentenced to four years’ imprisonment and fined $3.3 M.

Nineteen-year-old Anesha Hardy, of 235 South Ruimveldt, Georgetown, had three weeks ago made an appearance before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.

She admitted to the charge that on July 6, last, at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, she had in her possession 702 grams of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking.

The teen was taken to a City Hospital where an x-ray was conducted. The examination revealed foreign objects in her stomach and she was then admitted as a patient at the institution.

A few days later the teen excreted a total of 119 cocaine-filled pellets weighing 702 grams.