Market vendor jailed, fined $1.7M for cocaine trafficking

Twenty-four-year-old market vendor, Wendez Pompey of Hill Street, Albouystown, Georgetown, was sentenced to three years’ imprisonment and fined $1,737,000 for possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking, following his conviction on Friday.
Pompey appeared before Magistrate Fabayo Azore at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court, where he was handed the sentence in relation to a January 9 incident, during which officers of the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) intercepted him on Mittleholzer Street, North Ruimveldt, Georgetown.
According to CANU, Pompey was the lone occupant of a minibus, BAE 7328, when ranks stopped and searched the vehicle at around 20:15h. A black haversack on the front passenger seat was found to contain a transparent, brick-like parcel. Tests confirmed that the substance was cocaine, which was later weighed at 1.1562 kilograms at CANU headquarters.
Pompey, represented by attorney Jevon Cox, initially pleaded not guilty to the charge when he was first arraigned in January. In a failed attempt to secure bail, Cox had argued that the drugs were not found on Pompey’s person and that his client did not know the contents of the bag.
The defence contended that Pompey had just delivered puri and was returning to the minibus when he was confronted by officers, and further claimed the registered owner of the vehicle had not yet been contacted by investigators.
However, the prosecution stated that Pompey was the only individual in the minibus and that the illegal substance was found within his reach. The prosecutor also pointed out that Pompey had not denied knowledge of the drugs during his initial interactions with law enforcement.
This conviction marks Pompey’s second known brush with the law. In February 2024, he was arrested on the Suddie Public Road, Essequibo Coast, with 27.9 grams of cannabis in his possession. He pleaded guilty before Magistrate Esther Sam and was fined $41,550 and sentenced to two months of community service at the Ruimveldt Police Station.