Latest update January 21st, 2025 3:34 AM
Parika drug bust… Mechanic gets 4 years, fined $50M, others freed
Rajendra Persaud, one of the five men charged over a Parika, East Bank Essequibo drug bust, in which a large quantity of cocaine and marijuana were discovered, was yesterday sentenced to four years’ imprisonment along with $50M fined for the offence.
Meanwhile, his co-accused, Khamraj Lall, 39, of Zeelugt; Marlon Lawrence, 36, of Felicity, East Coast Demerara; Cleve Thornhill; and Doodnauth Chattergoon, walked out of the court free men, after the Magistrate ruled that the prosecution had failed to prove their case beyond reasonable doubt.
This ruling was handed down by Magistrate Rushelle Liverpool in the Leonora Magistrates’ Courts.
The defendants hid their faces at the first court hearing.
It is alleged that on June 6, 2017, they trafficked 35.080 kilograms (77 pounds) of cannabis and 13.812 kilograms (30 pounds) of cocaine.
The Magistrate in her ruling stated that after spending copious time reviewing the evidence presented by Customs Anti-Narcotics Prosecutor, Konyo Sandiford, she was satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that Persaud had full control and was fully aware of the contents in the gas cylinders that were being transported by him.
However, she told the court that the Prosecution team was unable to provide enough evidence that Persaud’s co-accused had knowledge of what was in the gas cylinders.
The Magistrate added that she did not find evidence that the four defendants intended to traffic narcotics; hence, she dismissed the matter against them.
Attorney-at-law Siand Dhurjon, in a plea of mitigation for his client, told the court that the offence committed did not involve the use of danger, threats, and no weapons were used.
The lawyer added that his client is the sole breadwinner for his two young children, and asked that he be given the minimum sentence. However, the Magistrate told the court that based on the prevalence of the offence and quantum of the drugs, she was sentencing Persaud to four years in prison.
According to information, on the day in question, ranks staked out the Parika, East Bank Essequibo area, watching for two vehicles. Around 1pm, they stopped one of the vehicles. Lawrence and Persaud were inside.
In the trunk, the ranks found two blue, gas containers with the bottoms cut out and pasted back together. They found marijuana and cocaine in them.
Later that day, ranks stopped the other vehicle, which Lall and Chattergoon were in. The ranks also seized a satellite phone.
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