The Jamaican who was busted at the Guyana Post Office (GPO) with cocaine concealed in a shipment of deodorant bottles, pleaded guilty to narcotics trafficking on Friday.
Easton Stapleton, 54, admitted to Magistrate Leron Daly at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts that on August 10, 2016, at the GPO, he was in the possession of 526 grams of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking.
Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) Prosecutor, Kunyo Sandyford-Thompson informed the court that on the day in question, Stapleton attempted to post a parcel at GPO where he first enquired if the parcel would have to be checked by CANU or not. It was indicated to him in the affirmative, which resulted in him picking up the box and exiting GPO.
She added that a CANU officer became suspicious, followed Stapleton and intercepted him in the vicinity of Fogarty’s Store. He was directed to CANU’S office at GPO where a search was conducted on the parcel. It was then that CANU ranks found a whitish substance in deodorant roll-on bolls and paper markers.
The unrepresented man told the court that he did not post the package since he failed to provide proof of address. He added that he was intercepted by the CANU officer while he was no longer in possession of the package.
According to the accused the officer had no right to search him since he did not possess a search warrant.
He said that the failure to show proof of address to post his package caused him to discard it in a nearby garbage receptacle. He noted that it is the CANU officer who went into the garbage bin to retrieve the package.
Stapleton will reappear in court on August 15 for sentencing.
