A 25-year-old Mabaruma businessman charged with drug trafficking was on Tuesday remanded to prison by Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan.

Derrick Persaud, a father of eight, denied that he on July 29, 2017 at Aruka River, North West District (NWD), had 75 grammes of cannabis in his possession for the purpose of trafficking.
According to the prosecution’s facts as read by Inspector Arvin Moore, on the day in question, Persaud had hired a boat to take himself and his load, comprising a quantity of limes, coconut and fuel, to the North West.

However, the boat was intercepted by the police along the way and searched, where-upon 65 grams of cannabis was found in transparent zip-lock packets, and another 10 grams on Persaud’s person, in his back pants pocket.
The prosecutor objected to bail being granted to Persaud on the grounds that the defence failed to raise any special reason for pre-trial liberty, as required by the Narcotics Act.

The Chief Magistrate ruled in the prosecution’s favour and remanded Persaud until August 22, when he will appear at the Mabaruma Magistrate’s Court.