The senior citizen who was nabbed at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA), Timehri on Wednesday with over 200 grams of cocaine stashed inside the sole of his shoes was on Thursday slapped with a trafficking in narcotics charge.
Sixty-six-year-old Roderick Andrew Chase appeared before Principal Magistrate Judy Latchman at the Providence Magistrates’ Court, East Bank Demerara, and pleaded not guilty to the charge.
The charge alleged that on August 13, 2019, at CJIA, Timehri, Chase had 290 grams of cocaine in his possession for the purpose of trafficking. Chase was represented by Attorney-at-Law George Thomas.
According to reports, Chase was preparing to board a New York-bound Caribbean Airlines flight when he was stopped and pulled aside for additional searches.
Security officials reportedly became suspicious after noticing that the man was travelling with no checked luggage. He was nabbed by the agents as he made his way through the full-body scanner.
Upon searching the elderly man, two parcels of cocaine were allegedly found stashed in the sole of his shoes. He was cautioned and taken into Police custody, where he was subsequently charged.
He was remanded to prison and will make his next court appearance on August 30.
