Three men were on Wednesday refused bail when they appeared at the Fort Wellington Magistrate’s Court on two separate charges of trafficking in narcotics.
The three men are Devash Reshiram, Anthony Carmichael, and Leon Burnet. They allegedly had a total of 18.6 kilograms (41 pounds) of marijuana on Monday in two separate incidents.
Reshiram was charged with one offence while Carmichael and Burnet were jointly charged for the other.
From left to right: Devash Reshiram, Anthony Carmichael and Leon Burnet
Reshiram, 20, of 38 Palmyra Village, East Canje, Berbice, was arraigned before Magistrate Rondel Weaver for trafficking 10 kg (22 pounds) of the illegal plant.
According to the Police, Reshiram, the driver of motor car PWW 3313, was on Monday last found with the drug in the car he was driving.
Acting upon information, ranks stopped the motor car and conducted a search and one black travelling bag containing three bulky parcels wrapped in transparent plastic which contained leaves, seeds and stems suspected to be cannabis were found, along with one blue and black travelling bag containing two bulky parcels wrapped with clear tape containing a quantity of leaves, seeds and stems suspected to be cannabis.
He pleaded not guilty to the charge. He is being represented by Attorney Joel Edmonds.
Reshiram claimed that two men gave him the bags to drop at Abary and he saw the Police and stopped. Bail was refused and the defendant was expected to make his next court appearance on February 21.
The crashed car which allegedly had the marijuana
Meanwhile, appearing before the same magistrate were Carmichael and Burnet. It is alleged that on Monday, January 29, at Fort Wellington, they had in their possession 8.6 kg (19 pounds) of compressed marijuana for the purpose of trafficking.
According to the Police, Carmichael and Burnet, both of West Coast Berbice (WCB), were in a speeding motor car which breached a police cordon in front of the Fort Wellington Police Station about 02:00h causing ranks to take evasive action.
The car was subsequently pursued and crashed into a tree at Number 23 Village, WCB. As Police approached, two occupants were seen exiting the vehicle and entering another which departed at great speed. While being pursued, the vehicle veered into a street at Number 27 Village and ended up in a nearby trench, from where two males were seen exiting into the unlit street.
The driver, a 22-year-old Onderneeming, West Coast Berbice resident, who is employed as a driver with a water company, was arrested while in the process of disposing of a bag which was found to contain 19 parcels of compressed cannabis.
Both men pleaded not guilty to the charge of trafficking in narcotics.
