Dataram, wife arrested in Suriname

Fugitive drug trafficker Barry Dataram and his common-law wife Anjanie Boodnarine were this morning arrested at a house in Suriname by law enforcement officers.

This was confirmed by Acting Crime Chief Hugh Jessemy who told Stabroek News that the couple has since been detained by the Surinamese police and local investigators are in contact with their counterparts to determine if they will be charged for any criminal offence in that country before being sent back to Guyana.

Dataram, in his absence, was found guilty of possession of narcotics for the purpose of trafficking and in addition to a 60-month sentence, he was slapped with a $164 million fine on October 27.

Last week, the Guyana Police Force issued a wanted bulletin for Dataram and Budnarine. This was believed to have been necessary to activate an international search for them.

Dataram’s escape to Suriname was seen as a major embarrassment for the security services here.

Barry Dataram
Barry Dataram

Dataram, along with Boodnarine, Kevin Charran and Trevor Gouveia were on trial for possession of cocaine for trafficking after the discovery of 129.230 kilogrammes of cocaine (equivalent to 284 pounds) of the drug at a Silver Dam, Fourth Avenue, Diamond Housing Scheme house on April 16, 2015. Boodnarine, Charran and Gouveia were freed owing to insufficient evidence.