Stabroek Market vendors caught with narcotics hidden in stalls on bail

Aug 10, 2024 Court Stories, Features / Columnists, News

Kaieteur News – Two Stabroek Market vendors were on Friday placed on bail for possession of narcotics at their stalls. The duo appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court before Magistrate Annette Singh.

Tevin Joseph

On August 5, 2024, the vendors, 27-year-old Shontelle Moutague, a mother of two and 31-year-old Tevin Joseph were found with 173 grams of cannabis and 10 grams of methamphetamine respectively.

The duo was arrested by police on foot patrol along Water Street, Georgetown.

When they appeared in court on Friday, they both pleaded not guilty to the charges.

According to a police statement, Moutague’s stall was searched by police and one black plastic bag containing two smaller black bags was found. Inside the bags was a quantity of leaves, seeds and stems suspected to be cannabis sativa.

The woman was told of the offence committed and cautioned. She told police, “I don’t sell weed and anybody could throw it there”. She was arrested and the narcotics weighed. The narcotics which amounted to 173 grams were sealed and lodged.

The prosecutor objected to bail being granted to the mother of two noting the seriousness of the offence and the quantity of cannabis found at her stall.

Bail was however granted in the sum of $100,000.

Moutague is scheduled to return to court on September 15, 2024 for statements.

Similarly, in the case of Joseph, the police were on foot patrol when they searched his stand and found four transparent zip locked bags containing a whitish substance suspected to be methamphetamine in an umbrella case at his stand.

He was then told of the offence committed and cautioned. In response, he told police, “that is not me thing” . He was then arrested and the suspected narcotics lodged,

The prosecutor also objected to bail being granted for Joseph noting the seriousness of the crime and the amount of methamphetamine. Notwithstanding, he was placed on $20,000 bail and is scheduled to return to court on September 13.