A Laing Avenue woman now stands accused of drug trafficking after cocaine was found in her suitcase at the Ogle International Airport, where she was due to board flight to Barbados.
Shontel Mansfield, 33, of Lot 191 Laing Avenue, West Ruimveldt, who is accused of trying to smuggle 517 grammes of cocaine on board the flight, pleaded not guilty to the charge when she appeared in the city court of Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry.
It is the police’s case that Mansfield, on February 7, was about to board LIAT flight LI512 when her luggage passed through a scanner and an unusual image manifested.
According to Prosecutor Michael Grant, who presented the prosecution’s case, the luggage was checked and what was suspected to be cocaine was found. The substance, Grant said, was then pretested in the presence of the woman and the police’s suspicions were confirmed.
Grant added that Mansfield was arrested and taken to the Criminal Investigations Department at Eve Leary, where the drug was weighed in her presence and she was subsequently slapped with the drug trafficking charge.
The Chief Magistrate informed the unrepresented woman that she would be remanded to prison until February 17, when the case is due to be called at the Sparendaam Magistrate’s Court.
