Essequibo Coast duo charged for narco trafficking

Two Essequibo Coast men were charged for trafficking ganja and cocaine. The men, Michael Whaul, 36, a labourer of Onderneeming Sand Pit, Essequibo Coast, and Odingo Marks, 29, a shopkeeper of Sand Reef, Queenstown, Essequibo Coast, were charged separately.
They both appeared at the Anna Regina Magistrate’s Court before Magistrate Esther Sam on Thursday.
Whaul was charged with the offence of possession of 3.75 grams of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking. It is alleged that he was caught with the cocaine on Tuesday last at Onderneeming Sand Pit, Essequibo Coast. He pleaded not guilty to the offence and was released on $10,000 bail. The case was adjourned to January 27.
Marks, on the other hand, was charged with the offence of possession of 76.9 grams of narcotics for the purpose of trafficking. He too pleaded not guilty to the charge, and bail was also granted in the sum of $10,000. The case was also adjourned to January 27.
Police reported that they arrested the two men last week following the discovery of a quantity of cocaine and marijuana during separate operations.
They said that at about 18:00h on Monday, ranks were on mobile patrol along the Essequibo Coast when Marks was observed attempting to dispose of a transparent plastic bag from a shop. The bag instead hit the wall and fell back into the shop. As the ranks moved closer, the man retrieved the bag.
Ranks approached the suspect and conducted a search on his person, unearthing the plastic bag which contained ganja.
A further search conducted in the shop resulted in the discovery of a black plastic bag with another quantity of cannabis. Marks was arrested and taken into custody. The cannabis was weighed and amounted to 76.9 grams.
Meanwhile, ranks, while acting on information received, went to Onderneeming Sandpit, home of Whaul, and conducted a search.
They unearthed an orange bottle with a white cork, and when the bottle was opened, it was observed to contain several pieces of a whitish-cream, brick-like substance that was at the time suspected to be cocaine.
Whaul was told of the offence, cautioned, arrested, and taken to Suddie Police Station, where the cocaine was weighed and amounted to 3.75 grams. (G9)