THE five men who were charged with trafficking $24M in cocaine last month were on Tuesday further remanded to prison by Magistrate Rushell Liverpool at the Leonora Magistrates’ court until July 25.

The men, Khemraj Lall, 39, of Zeelugt EBE; Marlon Lawrence, 36 of Felicity, East Coast Demerara(ECD) ; Rajendra Persaud, 47 of Liliendaal, ECD; Doodnauth Chattgroon, 36 of Zeelugt and Cleve Thornhill were held last month by the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) during a sting operation at Parika, East Bank Essequibo.

They were charged with trafficking 35 kilogrammes of cannabis and 13.8 kilograms of cocaine on June 6, 2018 at Parika. All the men pleaded not guilty.
Thornhill had initially pleaded guilty to the charge but when the matter was recalled on Tuesday he changed his plea to not guilty.

CANU Prosecutor Konyo Sandiford told the court that CANU ranks on June 6, 2018 at Parika, East Bank Essequibo, intercepted the five men with the cocaine and cannabis stashed in false bottoms of two 15-gallon gas bottles.
According to reports, CANU was able to make the bust after receiving information regarding a shipment of drugs arriving at Parika from Charity in a speed boat.

Acting on the information received, CANU officers then went to the Parika location where they intercepted motor vehicles PSS 8019 and PVV 7934. In one motor car were Lawrence and Persaud, while Thornhill and the other co-accused were in the other.

The vehicle was searched and two blue 15-gallon gas bottles were found with the bottoms cut and covered with brown paste. A further examination of the containers revealed several packages with some containing cannabis and others containing the suspected cocaine.