JERMAINE Lowe, 24, a U.S-bound passenger (no address given), was busted with 15.308 kilogrammes of cocaine concealed in Kerrygold milk powder packets at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport on Friday, January 17.He appeared yesterday before Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry and pleaded not guilty to the charge, but was remanded to prison until January 28, when he would answer the charge at the Providence Magistrate’s Court.
Custom Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) Prosecutor, Mr. Oswald Massiah told the court that the defendant is an American citizen by birth, but has resided in Guyana the past four years with relatives at Beterverwagting, East Coast of Demerara. He said Lowe claimed to have lost his United States passport, and acquired another at the American Embassy.
Massiah said that during Lowe’s sojourn in Guyana, he associated himself with various persons, one of whom offered to pay his passage to take the illegal substance to the United States. The first arrangement was scheduled for January 3, but that was voided and substituted by a later arrangement for January 17.
On the night in question, Lowe arrived at the airport with his suitcase, and was processed to board flight BWIA 5528 Caribbean Airlines 428; but during a routine scan, the illegal substance was found in two Kerrygold milk powder packets wrapped in a transparent plastic bag among his clothing. In Lowe’s presence the substance was weighed, and amounted to 800 grammes each.

(By Geeta Rampersaud)