After more than three months on trial, two businessmen were on Tuesday each sentenced to four years jail terms along with $6M fines after being found guilty by the Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan of trafficking almost 5 pounds of cocaine in gas bottles.

Thirty-three-year-old Mark Gomes and 37-year-old Mohammed Kadir were on trial for having 2.250 kilograms of cocaine in their possession on March 29, 2018  at Sherriff Street ,Georgetown. They were represented by Attorney-at-law Mark Waldron and Glenn Hanoman respectively.

In April, Ryan Fowler, 33 had confessed to the charge when the matter was first brought before the Chief Magistrate  and he was handed down a four year jail sentence along with $6M fine.

Prosecutor for the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU), Konyo Sandiford, during her initial facts in court noted that on the day in question at about 19:45hrs, ranks observed two vehicles parked suspiciously in the vicinity of Sheriff Street.

The court heard that Kadir exited motor vehicle PNN 2726 with a yellow gas cylinder and went over to the other vehicle, PMM 5807 which was being driven by Gomes with Fowler as a passenger.

CANU ranks subsequently intercepted the vehicle with the men inside, a search was conducted which unearthed the drugs hidden inside the gas bottle.

The Chief Magistrate during her ruling noted that Gomes and Kadir had knowledge and control of the drug in the matter in how the items were being transported and delivered.

The Magistrate noted that based upon the evidence, Kadir transported the drugs to Gomes where they both acted in joint enterprise.

Sandiford made an application for the two vehicles intercepted during the bust to be seized in favour of the sate on the grounds that the car were used to traffic the drugs.

However, the Chief Magistrate only ruled that Gomes vehicle, PMM 5807 be handed over to the state.

Last Thursday Gomes’ father, Andre ‘Zipper’ Gomes, a popular businessman was freed from a drug trafficking charge.

Last year too, the reputed wife of ‘Zipper’ , Naomi Persaud was sentenced to four years in jail after she pleaded guilty to having a large quantity of cocaine at the Campbellville house where she lived.

CANU ranks discovered  some 20 pounds of cocaine neatly wrapped in a cooking gas cylinder in the woman’s home.