Men accused of wrapping cocaine pellets on $600,000 bail

Two men who were initially remanded to prison after they were allegedly caught wrapping cocaine pellets, were each released on $300,000 bail on Friday. Charged with trafficking in narcotics are Ron Reid, 49, and 45-year-old Nigel Dundas.
It is alleged that on March 2, 2022, at West Ruimveldt Georgetown, they had 1.084 kilograms of cocaine in their possession for the purpose of trafficking.
The men made their second court appearance on Friday before Senior Magistrate Leron Daly at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts. During the proceedings, their Attorneys-at-Law renewed applications for bail on their behalf.
Conditionality of the bail requires them to periodically report to the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) Headquarters until the hearing and determination of their trial. The case will continue on May 20.
Reid is being represented by Attorney-at-Law Bernard Da Silva, while Attorney-at-Law Everton Singh-Lammy is appearing for the other accused.
CANU said its ranks were conducting search operations at a house in the West Ruimveldt “Front Road” area when the two men were caught wrapping a quantity of pellets with cocaine. They were arrested and taken to CANU Headquarters, where the more than 100 pellets were weighed in their presence and amounted to 1.084 kilograms. According to CANU, the illicit drug, which has a local street value of $1.2 million, would be worth way more than that overseas.

Previously charged
Reid is no stranger to the drug enforcement unit. In fact, on March 2, 2015, he and his common-law wife were arrested with 70 grams of cocaine in their possession. They were later slapped with a drug trafficking charge to which they pleaded not guilty. It was reported that on March 2, 2015, CANU ranks went to the couple’s home. After they had knocked on the door, Reid’s wife reportedly appeared. When ranks asked her for Reid, she reportedly tried to engage them in conversation, delaying their gaining access to the house.

A rank then heard a sudden running of water inside the house, and when he stormed in, he found Reid standing in front of a sink that had four cocaine pellets inside. Guyana Times is unaware of the legal status of this matter.

Four years
In 2017, CANU had issued a wanted bulletin for Reid, after his associate, 43-year-old Julius Watkins, was intercepted at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) with 114 cocaine pellets that he had ingested.
Watkins subsequently pleaded guilty and was sentenced to four years in prison. The following day, Reid surrendered.
The court heard that between September 12 and September 15, 2017, Watkins swallowed 114 pellets laced with a total of 960 grams of cocaine. On the latter date, he was attempting to board an outgoing flight to Canada at the CJIA when CANU ranks noticed him acting suspiciously as he approached the scanning area.
As such, Watkins, a taxi driver at the time, was questioned and taken to CANU Headquarters, where he confessed to swallowing pellets laced with cocaine.
He was subsequently transported to the Woodlands Hospital, where he excreted the pills containing the illegal substance.
Watkins had sought to justify his actions to the Chief Magistrate by explaining that he was facing a financial crisis and was unable to send his children to school. As such, he said, he had taken the “job” to earn extra money. (G1)