Adrian Hetmyer and Daniel Persaud pleaded guilty before Magistrate Rabindranauth Singh to trafficking approximately 105 kilograms (233 pounds) of marijuana on Sunday, November 6, 2022.
Jailed: Adrian Hetmyer
Hetmyer, 45, and Persaud, 21, both of Sheet Anchor, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), who were initially charged in November 2022, opted to plead guilty to the offence when they appeared at the Whim Magistrate’s Court on Monday.
They were each jailed for 40 months and fined $63.4 million.
In a statement on the men’s arrest, the Customs Anti-Narcotic Unit (CANU) had said that on the day in question, its officers, along with Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Coast Guard ranks, stopped two vessels transporting cannabis along the coast of Number 47 Village, Corentyne, Berbice.
Jailed: Daniel Persaud
“Despite the rough seas and inclement weather, the team boarded both vessels to conduct searches, during which they discovered one shotgun, a quantity of ammunition as well as suspected cannabis on one of the vessels. While several bags containing suspected cannabis was discovered on the other vessel,” the statement from the agency added.
As a result, Hetmyer and Persaud, along with Surinamese nationals Suren Mohan, 41, and Imami Fizal, 48, were arrested and escorted to CANU headquarters with the suspected narcotics, shotgun, and ammunition. The substance in the bags later tested positive for cannabis.
The narcotic and gun that were recovered by law enforcement ranks
The first vessel intercepted was carrying the Guyanese nationals, Hetmyer and Persaud, and the cannabis.
Onboard the second vessel, which was carrying the two Surinamese nationals, 11.2 kilograms (24.64lbs the of cannabis was discovered, along with a shotgun and ammunition.
The total street value of the 117 kilograms of cannabis trafficked was $14.3 million. (G1)
