THE CUSTOMS Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) officer Anthony Yarde who led the search of Barry Dataram’s Diamond Housing Scheme property, where authorities say 129.230 kilogrammes of cocaine (equivalent to 284 pounds) were found, on Wednesday continued his testimony.Dataram, his common-law wife Anjanie Boodnarine, Kevin Charran and Trevor Gouveia, are currently on trial for possession of the cocaine for the purpose of trafficking.
Officer Anthony Yarde, who is now stationed at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, resumed his testimony on Wednesday before city magistrate Judy Latchman.
In his presentation to the court, Yarde stated that Officer Roy Murray searched the upper flat of the building and in the washroom area he found a red and white bag in a cupboard.
After examining the contents, he noticed six pieces of brick-like, wrapped objects in the bag. He asked the four defendants what was in the bag and none of them answered.
Officer Murray took the six packs and when he cut one open he noticed a whitish powdery substance, which he suspected to be cocaine.

Murray then told them of the offence and cautioned each of the defendants. Dataram blurted out “Is me thing, none a dem people ain’t know bout this.”
Officer Murray them placed the objects into the red and white bag.
They continued to search the cupboard and in a black garbage bag, he found 11 more packs in different colours.
In the dining area on the lower flat of the building, Officer Yarde said he saw a blue baby tub next to the dining table containing a white bag, which contained transparent plastic bags which had a white substance in them.

Dataram then blurted out: “Boy do your work I done know what going on there.”
During the exercise Yarde instructed Officer Kurt Patterson to take photos of what was going on. Officer Yarde, who was in charge of the operation, then instructed other ranks to search other parts of the kitchen.
In the storage room on the lower flat officer Dandram Samroo found a quantity of ammo in the said room. The search then continued in the yard of the property, and under a shed there was one white freezer and other items.

Yarde said he proceeded to search the freezer, where he found several parcels of what appeared to be shrimp. When he checked the parcels he noticed a whitish substance which he suspected to be cocaine. He showed the four defendants the parcel and reminded them that they were still under caution.
Dataram is said to have blurted out to Yarde: “Is me thing. Is I pack it myself and put it in there.”
The contents from the freezer were emptied and counted in the presence of the defendants and it amounted to 428 parcels of a whitish substance.
The ranks then completed the search and returned to the CANU head office.
The trial continues April 7, 2016.