COME January 31, 2019, five men will know their fate in the $24M cocaine trafficking case, as Magistrate Rushell Liverpool, at the Leonora Magistrate’s Court, is expected to make her ruling.

On trial are Khemraj Lall, 39, of Zeelugt, East Bank Essequibo (EBE); Marlon Lawrence, 36, of Felicity, East Coast Demerara (ECD), Rajendra Persaud, 47, of Liliendaal, ECD; Doodnauth Chattergoon, 36, of Zeelugt; and Cleve Thornhill.

The five men were jointly charged with trafficking 35 kilograms of cannabis and 13.8 kilograms of cocaine on June 6, 2018, at Parika. They all pleaded not guilty.
A total of eight witnesses are expected to be called by the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) Prosecutor, Konyo Sandiford. The Magistrate on Thursday, January 10, 2019, set aside January 31, 2019, for her ruling.

According to reports, 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.

CANU was able to make the bust after receiving information regarding a shipment of drugs arriving at Parika from Charity, in a speedboat.
Acting on the information received, CANU officers 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 vehicles were 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, some containing cannabis and others containing what was later confirmed as cocaine.