With Geeta Rampersaud

Couple busted with cocaine in ceramic ornaments at CJIA refused bail

GORDON Plass of Lot 224 Mocha Arcadia, East Bank Demerara and Belinda Williams of Lot 973 Meadow Brook Gardens in the city appeared yesterday before Georgetown Magistrate Fabayo Azore to face an allegation that on Monday, July 7, at the CJIA at Timehri, East Bank Demerara, they had in their possession more than two grammes of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking.They both denied the charge when it was read to them.

Police Prosecutor Steven Telford told the court that Williams was at CJIA posting cargo to Dublin, Ireland aboard an Amerijet flight when ranks conducted a field test on the cargo and found 17.177 kilogrammes of the illegal

substance.

The prosecutor said cocaine is currently being extracted from the ornaments, and more charges are likely to follow.

Telford said that, under caution, Williams told the ranks that Plass had given her the box to post; but Plass told the ranks that someone else had given him the box to post.

Telford said investigations are ongoing to ascertain the original owner of the box, and based on these circumstances, he requested that bail be denied both defendants.

Telford also informed the court that because he knows Williams, he would like not to recuse himself from prosecuting the matter.

Attorney-at-law Patrice Henry represented Williams, but Plass was unrepresented.

Mr Henry said his client is married, has two children, and is presently five months pregnant; but Magistrate Azore told him those were not special reasons why bail should be granted his client.

Plass explained that he lives at the address which he had given the police during investigations, and apologized for giving them a Werk-en-Rust, Georgetown address. He said that before coming to court he had spoken with his mother and her address got stuck in his head. He also explained that he was very frustrated at the moment.
However, the Prosecutor informed the court that Plass had previously been convicted in Barbados on a similar matter, and that there are six witnesses in the matter.

Both defendants were refused bail, and the matter was set for recall on July 28 for commencement of trial.