BUSINESSWOMAN Lena Narine, 63, along with Sherlan Edmonson, 54, and Earl Branch, 49, were, on Friday, sentenced to two years in prison, together with a fine of $1.7 million each for cocaine trafficking.

The trio were on trial before Magistrate Annette Singh at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court, where they were later convicted for the charge which alleged that, on January 27, 2023, at Shantiniketan Street, Prashad Nagar, Georgetown, they had 1.050 kilograms (kg) of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking.

Giving the nature and gravity of the offence, Magistrate Singh sentenced the trio to serve two years’ imprisonment together with a fine of $1.7M.

According to a press release from the Customs Anti Narcotic Unit (CANU), on the day in question, the trio were arrested following the discovery of $1.1 million worth of cocaine at Santiniketan Street, Prasad Nagar, Georgetown.

It was further noted that Narine, who owned the house, Edmonson, also of the said address, and Branch, of Pike Street, Kitty, Georgetown, were arrested and escorted to CANU’s Headquarters with the suspected illegal substance.

The narcotic tested positive for cocaine, amounting to 1.050 kilogrammes (about 2.3 pounds), with a street value of approximately $1.1 million.

Narine was previously arrested along with two other persons in March 2022, when officers discovered 11.4 kilogrammes of cocaine and 266 grams of ecstasy at this same address.