East Street drug bust: Businessman denies trafficking over 2kg ganja, remanded

A 30-year-old East Street, Georgetown businessman was charged with drug trafficking on Monday after a raid on his business premised by Police ranks unearthed four pounds of marijuana, millions in local and foreign currencies, and cases of uncustomed liquor. Nicholas Samaroo was brought before Principal Magistrate Sherdel Isaacs-Marcus at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.

He denied the charge which stated that on March 16, at East Street, Georgetown, he had 2.030 kilogrammes of Cannabis sativa in his possession for the purpose of trafficking. The accused drug trafficker was remanded to prison until April 1.
His lawyer, Dexter Todd, in an unsuccessful bail application, contended that because the property where the illicit drug was allegedly found is occupied by multiple persons, his client cannot be held liable for the crime.
The Guyana Police Force (GPF) said that ranks from the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) Headquarters were executing a search warrant on the property in East Street, North Cummingsburg, Georgetown, when the items were found.
According to the Police, GYD 2,508,370; USD 75,697; SRD 4664; EURO 6145; BBD 19; CAD 40; TT$171; VEB 100 and BZD 100 were found.
A further search was conducted in a locked and secured room on the bottom flat of the business, and 24 bottles of Double Black whiskey; 16 bottles of Johnny Walker Black whiskey; 11 bottles of Jack Daniels whiskey; two bottles of Merry Irish Cream Liqueur; 16 cases of Budweiser beer; a case of Red Bull energy drink and 47 boxes of disposal latex gloves were found.
Further, a small blue and white cooler with the businessman’s logo was seen on top of a cupboard, and this was retrieved and searched.
Inside, a black plastic bag containing two parcels wrapped in transparent plastic and suspected to be marijuana was discovered.
Following the discovery, the businessman was arrested, along with his wife, mother-in-law, and his wife’s 18-year-old cousin, while the contraband, narcotics, cash, and other items were lodged with the custodian of the GPF Property Room.
Moreover, on the said day, ranks executed a second search warrant at this businessman’s Providence, East Bank Demerara (EBD) property, during which three Digital Video Records (DVRs) were confiscated to be reviewed. (G1)