DAYS after ranks from the Custom Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) intercepted a wooden boat with $110M worth of cocaine and cannabis inside, at the Mon Repos channel on the East Coast Demerara, a 50-year-old man was on Tuesday placed before the court and charged with drug trafficking.

Azim Baksh called ‘Bato’ of Phase 1, Good Hope, East Coast Demerara appeared before Magistrate Alisha George at the Sparendaam Magistrate’s Court and denied the drug trafficking charge.

The charge read that on July 14 at the Mon Repos Channel, ECD Baksh trafficked 91.132 kilogrammes of cocaine and 56.008 kilogrammes of cannabis.

Baksh’s attorney, Bernard DaSliva made an application for bail and told the court that his client was intercepted in his motor car at Mon Repos access road by CANU ranks. DaSliva stressed that Baksh was told by the ranks that he had just left from a boat which was docked at Mon Repos and was taken back to the site. The attorney noted that his client was forced to admit to the charge.

Also he further questioned why his client was being charged since other men were on board the vessel but managed to escape when CANU officers arrived.
He also noted that his client was not found on the boat and also no drugs were found in his possession.

However, CANU prosecutor Konyo Sandiford explained that the accused was under surveillance from CANU from the time he was at the boat with Farok Baksh called ‘Dive” and “Shoot’ to when he was arrested in his motor car at Mon Repos.
Farok Baksh however managed to escape from the CANU officers and a wanted bulletin has been issued for his arrest.
Magistrate George after listening to both sides rejected the attorney’s application for bail. The 50-year-old man was refused bail and was remanded to prison until August 10.
According to a release from CANU, ranks of the unit conducted an operation on East Coast Demerara where several locations used for docking of fishing vessels along the sea wall were reconnoitered.

CANU said sometime after 04:00hours Saturday, July 14, a suspected fishing vessel approached a docking location at the Mon Repos Channel and was held.
The agency said ranks found 82 parcels of cocaine which weighed 91.132 kg (201.32lbs) as well as 98 parcels of cannabis which weighed 56.008 Kg (123.47lbs) on the vessel.
The boat’s captain, known by the alias ‘Dive’ and ‘Shoot’ escaped and is at large while another man, one Azim Baksh was arrested.

Baksh’s wife was arrested by anti-narcotics authorities while several persons of interest, including several Venezuelans, are wanted in connection with the bust. Baksh’s wife was later released.