Gavin Waaldijk, the 23-year-old Guyanese from Linden held in the US in August, allegedly with 35 kilos of cocaine, is considering a plea bargain, according to documents seen by this newspaper.
Waaldijk had pleaded not guilty to the charge of knowingly, intentionally and unlawfully importing cocaine into the United States. However, according to the documents, when he appeared before US District Judge Carol Bagley Anon on Wednesday last his lawyer David Epstein and Prosecutor Steve Dā Aessandro held plea discussions. The matter is expected to be called again on November 28 when it would be known if the parties have made an agreement or whether a trial would be held instead.
Waaldijk had boarded Travelspan airline Flight Number 053 on Emancipation Day and was intercepted at the JFK Airport by officers using a narcotics detecting dog.
The dog alerted the authorities to a suitcase bearing the tag 813711 in the name of the Guyanese. Upon opening the suitcase, Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) authorities found 31 brick-shaped objects wrapped in plastic which when weighed amounted to 35.078 kilogrammes. When held by the US authorities, Waaldijk had one piece of carry-on luggage and another suitcase with the tag 813712. According to the complaint sworn to by Special Agent of Immigration and Customs Enforcement Thomas Cadwallader, a search was conducted on his person and two Travelspan claim tickets matching the suitcases were found along with a key which opened the lock on the bag that was found with the drugs.
