TWENTY-FOUR-year-old Ian Johnson, a rank of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) attached to the Canine Section of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) Narcotics Branch, and stationed at Ogle International Airport, appeared yesterday before Magistrate Sueanna Lovell at the Sparendaam court and was remanded to prison until June 13 on two narcotics charges.

Johnson pleaded not guilty to both charges, one of which alleges that
on Wednesday, May 21, at Ogle International Airport, he had in his possession 5.574 kilogrammes (kgs) of cannabis sativa (marijuana) for the purpose of trafficking.

The other charge states that Johnson also had, on the day in question, 2.286 kg of cocaine to traffick.

Johnson’s attorney, Ms. Gwendolyn Bristol, failed to secure bail for her client.

Nineteen-year-old Anastasia Latoya Crawford of Lot 29 Fort Street, Kingston was also remanded to prison last Wednesday in relation to this same drug bust at Ogle International Airport, East Coast Demerara.

Police investigations revealed that prior to Crawford committing the offence, Johnson and Mark ‘Polo’ had visited her at her home in Kinston, where arrangements had been made. On the day Crawford was busted, Johnson had allegedly been monitoring her via her cell phone. He had been contacting her and instructing her ‘who to go to’.

Crawford had revealed his name to investigators, and she had also positively identified him. A confrontation had been arranged, but Johnson had strongly denied the allegation.

(By Geeta Rampersaud)