SHANTELL Mansfield, a 32-year-old vendor of Lot 191 Laing Avenue, Georgetown, charged with trafficking narcotics was refused bail Monday by Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry.
She pleaded not guilty to the allegation that said on Friday, February 7 at Ogle International Airport, East Coast of Demerara, she had 517 grammes of cocaine for trafficking.Police Inspector Michael Grant, prosecuting, said the woman was an outgoing passenger to Barbados when a search was carried out on her luggage at the airport.
During checks the police observed an unusual object on the scanner and a further search revealed the illegal substance, which amounted to the quantum stated in the charge.
The prosecutor objected to the defendant’s pretrial liberty, citing the prevalence and gravity of the offence.
The woman was charged a year ago with a similar crime and the matter was dismissed. However, bail was refused yesterday and the matter was transferred to Sparendaam Magistrate’s Court for February 17.