MAGISTRATE Rushell Liverpool, on Thursday at the Leonora Magistrate’s Court, handed down a four-year jail sentence, along with a fine of $50M, on a 48-year-old mechanic, after finding him guilty of trafficking cocaine.

Rajendra Persaud, 48, of Liliendaal, East Coast Demerara, was found guilty of the charge which read that on June 6, 2018, at Parika, East Bank Essequibo, he trafficked 35 Kilograms of cannabis and 13.8 Kilograms of cocaine.

Persaud was jointly charged and on trial with Khamraj Lall, 39, of Zeelugt, East Bank Essequibo; 36-year-old Marlon Lawrence of Felicity, East Coast Demerara (ECD); Cleve Thornhill, and 36-year-old Doodnauth Chattergoon, also of Zeelugt.

However, Persaud was found guilty of the charge, since it was found that he had knowledge and control of the illicit drugs while his other co-accused were freed from the indictment.

Magistrate Liverpool noted that, based on the evidence and testimonies from the witnesses, Persaud had tried pinning blame on the other defendants and kept changing his story.

Persaud’s attorney, Siand Dhurjon, during his plea of mitigation, begged the court for leniency and asked for the minimum sentence to be imposed on his client.
Magistrate Liverpool, sentenced Persaud to four years imprisonment, along with a fine of $50M.

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 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 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 the suspected cocaine.