Businessman charged over 150lbs cocaine bust at CJIA
Wanted, Gavin McKie and charged, Tyrone Hamilton
Businessman and former national cyclist, Tyrone Hamilton was on Thursday remanded to prison on a drug trafficking charge when he appeared at the Diamond Magistrate’s Court.
Hamilton was wanted by the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) for questioning over the discovery of more than 100 pounds of cocaine at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA).
He subsequently turned himself in with his Attorney, Nigel Hughes.
However, during his appearance on Thursday, he was charged with conspiracy to traffic more than 150 pounds of cocaine. He pleaded not guilty to the charge when it was read to him.
He was nevertheless remanded and will make his next court appearance on May 16.
CANU had issued a wanted bulletin for Gavin McKie and Hamilton, urging persons with knowledge of their whereabouts to contact the agency. McKie remains on the run.
It was reported that CANU agents stationed at the CJIA observed two suspects retrieving four duffle bags thrown over the airport fence by an unidentified male. Upon interception, a search of the duffle bags led to the discovery of 64 brick-like parcels suspected to contain cocaine.
The suspects, identified as 26-year-old Travis Sealey, a shift leader at New Timehri Handling Service (NTHS), and 20-year-old Koby Bakker, a ground security coordinator at Secure Innovations and Concepts (SIC), both residents of Timehri, EBD, who were apprehended and escorted to CANU Headquarters, along with the suspected narcotics.
Subsequent testing confirmed the presence of cocaine. The parcels weighed approximately 71.2 kilograms with an estimated street value of $64,000,000 locally.
CANU stated that the narcotics were intended for transport on a British Airways flight bound for St. Lucia, with a subsequent connection to the United Kingdom. The potential street value of the seized narcotics, had they reached their intended destination, was estimated at over £3,000,000, equivalent to approximately G$679 million.
The two were subsequently charged and remanded to prison.
