A TWENTY-year-old exporter of 211 Albert Street, Alberttown,Georgetown,who was recently caught trying to ship cocaine out of Guyana to the United States was yesterday remanded to prison.Darshanan Balram denied that on March 19 at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) Timehri, he had in his possession 40.405 kilogramms of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking.
Balram’s lawyer, Mr. Gordon Gilhuys, requested that his client be released on reasonable bail, stating that he is married and is a father of one.
According to Police Prosecutor Michael Grant, on the day in question about 13:30hrs, Balram went to the cargo bond at CJIA with 60 buckets, that is a shipment of casareep, Chinese sauce, fruits and green seasoning, with the relevant documents to ship the goods.
Grant noted that police narcotics agents acting on a tip- off went to the cargo bond, told the defendant of the allegation, and requested to conduct a search of his bond.
The court head that the ranks found a whitish substance in transparent packets lodged between the buckets. The contents of the packets were field- tested in the exporter’s presence and were found to be cocaine. Consequently, Balram was arrested and charged.
The prosecutor objected to bail on grounds of the nature, gravity and prevalence of the offence, citing that no special reason was raised by Balram’s counsel.
Bail was refused and the case transferred to city Magistrate Judy Latchman for April 8.