A 56-year-old seaman from the Dominican Republic was, on Friday, sentenced to four years, six months jail after he pleaded guilty to drug trafficking in connection to the recent $14 million bust on a foreign vessel at the Guyana National Industrial Company (GNIC), Georgetown wharf. 

The DR citizen, Fredy Diaz Cabrera of Montrose, East Coast Demerara (ECD), was nabbed by Custom Anti Narcotics Unit (CANU) agents on Wednesday when law enforcement officials searched the vessel at the GNIC wharf and uncovered $14 million worth of marijuana, reportedly destined for Barbados.

18 other persons were arrested in the matter. Cabrera was charged along with his reputed wife, Epiphany ‘Tiffany’ McLennan of Sophia, and another man, Eustace ‘Fine Man’ Rodrigues, 45, of Albouystown in connection to the bust.

McLennan and Rodrigues both pleaded not guilty when the matter was heard before city magistrate, Sherdel Isaacs-Marcus.

Cabrera told the court that he was given the narcotics by Rodriguez on January 18 for transport to Barbados. Both Rodrigues and McLennan claimed ignorance. The duo were remanded to prison until February 25.

The court heard that Cabrera previously served a prison sentence in the United States of America (USA) for cocaine trafficking.