ON Tuesday at the Leonora Magistrates Court, Magistrate Rushell Liverpool dismissed the case against fish trader, Mohamed Ali called “Panta,” who was charged for being in possession of 51.626 kilos of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking.

Ali, 51 a father of three, who resides at Lot 11 La Jalousie, West Coast Demerara was accused of being in possession of 51.626 kilos of cocaine on May 10, 2015 at Windsor Forest, West Coast Demerara, for the purpose of trafficking.

In her ruling Liverpool stated that the Police Prosecutor, Bharat Mangru failed to prove beyond reasonable doubt the elements of possession. The magistrate had overruled the no case submission presented by the prosecutor. Ali was placed on $600,000 bail and ordered to lodge his passport and report to the Narcotics Branch at Eve Leary, every fortnight on Mondays. Ali was represented by Attorney- at Law- Bernard De Santos.

According to the police’s facts, on May 10, 2015 the cocaine was transported to the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) by one of Ali’s employees. It was concealed in 40 boxes of shrimp. Whilst his employee was at the airport, Ali made contact with him and ordered that he cancel the arrangement and return with the boxes, which caused a level of suspicion by ranks of the narcotics branch of the Police Force. The ranks then searched the boxes and the cocaine was retrieved from them. The drug was intended to be loaded on to a Caribbean Airlines flight.