Uitvlugt man found with ganja during speed boat search at Aranka

An Uitvlugt man, who was allegedly caught with 374 grammes of cannabis during a stop and search by a river patrol at Aranka, was remanded to prison yesterday.

Lennox Andrews, 36, pleaded not guilty to the allegation that he, on March 2, at Aranka, Little River, Mabaruma, had the cannabis on him.

It is the police’s case that Andrews and others were travelling on Little River in a speed boat, when they were stopped and searched by police ranks on patrol. According to Police Prosecutor Michael Grant, the requested search was conducted after the police ranks identified themselves. He said everyone’s luggage in the boat was searched. Grant said when the time came to search Andrews’ luggage, what was suspected to be cannabis was found in a green and white plastic bag in the pocket of one of his pants. Grant added that Andrews was arrested and slapped with the drug trafficking charge.

Andrews’ attorney, Peter Hugh, asked the court to grant his client bail. However, Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry ruled against that application and transferred the case to the Mabaruma Magistrate’s Court.

The matter will be called again on May 19.