Boat Captain fined $136M, jailed for 5 years

Cocaine in gas cylinders

A Boat Captain who was implicated in the over 65 kilograms of cocaine found in a gas cylinder stashed in a car at Parika, East Bank Essequibo (EBE) was on Thursday found guilty.
Damion Williams of Better Hope, East Coast Demerara, was sentenced to five years in prison and fined $136 million by Magistrate Rushell Liverpool at the Leonora Magistrate’s Court.
In handing down her ruling, Magistrate Liverpool said that there was sufficient evidence to convict the 35-year-old man.
Williams was charged jointly with taxi driver Vaughn Anderson, 32, of Boodhoo Housing Scheme, Parika; however, the charge was dismissed against Anderson. Anderson had confessed to the court that he was hired by Williams to take him from Parika to Georgetown.
The prosecution contended that on December 24, 2017, while in the vicinity of Parika, Williams had in his possession 65.027 kilograms of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking.
Particulars of the charge stated that on the day of the cocaine discovery, ranks from the Guyana Police Force Narcotics Branch, acting on information, swooped down on Anderson and the drugs were found concealed in a gas cylinder.
Anderson was arrested and confessed to Police that he was merely hired by Williams to transport items to Georgetown. Williams was later arrested and confessed to giving Anderson the drugs in the cylinder.