Essequibo Coast man jailed for 3 years, fined $4M for drug trafficking

Davenand Dwarka, 30, of Lot 23 Henrietta, Essequibo Coast, was found guilty of trafficking in marijuana last Wednesday. He was given a three-year prison sentence and a $4,136,550 fine.
Dwarka, who was initially charged with the crime back in October 2022, had been on trial before Magistrate Esther Sam at the Anna Regina Magistrate’s Court.
On Friday, October 28, 2022, at Good Hope Stelling Road, Essequibo Coast, he had 2757 grams of cannabis sativa (marijuana) in his possession for the purpose of trafficking.
According to a Police report, on the day in question, at approximately 4:00 pm, ranks were on mobile patrol along Good Hope Stelling Road when they noticed Dwarka seated at a stall.

When Dwarka saw the Police, he leaped from the stall and tried to hide by lying down flat.
However, upon seeing this, the Police ranks went toward the direction of the stall.
At the time, the now-convicted man was clad in a pair of short black pants, black boots, and a black jersey and was carrying a navy-blue haversack on his back.
A search was conducted on Dwarka and his belongings but nothing was found on his person.
Checks were then made in the haversack during which three compressed brown paper parcels, wrapped with transparent plastic containing marijuana were found.
In addition, a white digital scale was also seen in the bag.
As such, Dwarka was immediately told of the offence committed, and subsequently arrested.
The marijuana was weighed in his presence and amounted to 2757.7 grams.
This convict had been out on $500,000 bail pending the hearing and determination of his trial.
In July of this year, Dwarka and another man, 27-year-old Sheldon Lewis, a minibus driver of Lot 235 Charity Housing Scheme, Essequibo Coast, were jointly charged with trafficking 512 grams of marijuana when they appeared before the said Magistrate at the Charity Magistrate’s Court.
They had both pleaded not guilty. Bail was granted to each of them in the sum of $300,000 despite objections being raised by the prosecutor.
Back in January, Dwarka was granted bail in the sum of $200,000 after he was charged with unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition.
It is alleged that on January 22, 2023, while on the Henrietta Public Road, Essequibo Coast, he had a 9mm pistol in his possession when he was not the holder of a firearm licence.
It is further alleged that on the same day, he had three 9mm rounds of ammunition in his possession when he was not the holder of a firearm licence.
On the day in question, Dwarka was reportedly spotted outside the Jaigobin Hotel with an object poking out of the waist of his pants by Police ranks who were on a mobile patrol on the Henrietta Public Road. Dwarka ran into a parking lot, and the ranks gave chase, and he fell into an area with mud.  As the Police ranks attempted to grab him, the firearm fell into the mud, and during this time, he reportedly jumped into a nearby trench and made good his escape. Later that day, he made an attempt to flee before being arrested by the Police at his aunt’s home in Henrietta.
This publication is unaware of the legal status of the last three charges. (G1)