THREE municipal constables who were nabbed in a December 21 drug bust in New Amsterdam were each granted $300,000 bail by Magistrate Adela Nagamootoo on Monday. The trio — Dwayne Casey, Sherry Burnette and Natasha Cooke — reappeared at New Amsterdam Court, where attorney-at-law Ms. Tania Warren made representation on behalf of Burnette.

The lawyer said her instructions were that no narcotic was found on the person of Burnette, nor in or around her environs.

In addition, Defence Counsel said Burnette is a diabetic and is in need of constant medical supervision.

A fourth defendant, Joel Cush, had previously secured his pre-trial freedom through the grant of his petition by Acting Chief Justice Ian Chang.

Police are alleging that, on December 21, at about 02:00 hrs, ranks acting on information went to the New Amsterdam Municipal Market, where they searched several persons who disembarked a boat that came from the Berbice River.
Nothing was found initially, but plainclothes cops secluded themselves at the ‘Candy Shop’ and, a few minutes later, heard persons conversing about eight feet away.

It is alleged that one defendant was seen handing over a bulky parcel to another, who concealed it under his vest; and the quartet was arrested and taken to the Central Police Station, where the contents of the parcel were weighed and verified to be 380 grammes of the illicit substance.

This case will be called again on February 18, for report and fixture.