A 47-year-old miner was, on Friday, sentenced to 43 months in prison, and fined $5.1 million for drug trafficking.

Rayanthony Persaud, also known as “Tony,” of Victoria Avenue, Eccles, East Bank Demerara, was sentenced by Magistrate Judy Latchman at the Diamond Magistrates’ Court.
He was found guilty of trafficking 5.754 kilogrammes of cannabis on March 22, 2022, at the New Diamond Housing Scheme, EBD.
In handing down her sentence, Magistrate Latchman considered the nature, gravity, and prevalence of the offence. Persaud was sentenced to 43 months in prison, together with a fine of $5,178,600.

During March 2022, Persaud and two other men were arrested after officers of the Customs Anti-Narcotic Unit (CANU) found marijuana during an operation at the New Diamond Housing Scheme.

Reports are that the illegal substance was found in six parcels weighing, collectively, 5.754 kg (12.6 pounds). Persaud was found sitting in a motor car parked in front of an unpainted house.

CANU officers observed Persaud exiting his car and approached a vehicle that was driven by another man.
The anti-drug officers saw Persaud collecting a box from the man after which they both then entered the unpainted house together. CANU officers then stormed the house and arrested the pair.

The box was searched and six parcels of suspected cannabis, valued at $1.7 million, were found inside.