Two suspected cocaine mule recruiters were on Friday brought before the court for recruiting Safraz Jalaladeen to traffic over 6.04 kilograms of cocaine out of Guyana, and appeared before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.
Rolston Bacchus, called “Biggs” and Mark Sawyers, called “Marco” both denied they recruited Jalaladeen to traffic the cocaine between April 1 and May 19, 2016.
Reports indicate that ranks from the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) were able to finger the men after Jalaladeen was busted at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) with the drug concealed in milk packets in two suitcases.
Jalaladeen appeared before the same Magistrate two weeks ago and was sentenced to four years imprisonment for the crime and has since been cooperating with (CANU) ranks in the investigation.
Bacchus was further slapped with recruiting Kathleen DeFlorimonte and Odessa Pollard, between July and November 2015 to traffic 12.34 Kilograms of cocaine out of Guyana.
According to Prosecutor Konyo Sandiford-Thompson, Bacchus denied the charge. Reports are that on November 5, 2015, Pollard was slated to depart on a Caribbean Airlines flight destined to Trinidad and Tobago when she was busted with 12.348 kilogram of cocaine.
Prosecutor Thompson disclosed that the drug was concealed in Kerrygold milk packets. Pollard told officers it is her mother-in-law, DeFlorimonte who had packed her suitcase and told her that diamonds were contained in the milk packages.
They were charged before the court and are currently on trial at the Providence Magistrate’s Court.
CANU officers noted that it is due to the two women’s statements that they were able to arrest of Bacchus who had been long under their surveillance.
The Prosecution pointed out that Sawyers is no stranger to the court or the drug world, telling the court that the 26-year-old resides at Lot 521 Dazzle Housing Scheme, East Coast Demerara, and has similar matters pending at the Providence and Sparendaam Magistrate’s Courts.
Bail for the men was strongly objected to by the Prosecutor –Bacchus being a flight risk and Sawyer’s previous involvement in such matters.
Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan remanded the duo until June 21 and transferred the joint matter to Courts Five and Three respectively.
