(Barbados Nation) – A young businessman held in connection with the discovery of more than $11 million in drugs in a container at the Bridgetown Port was ordered kept in jail after he appeared in the District “A” Traffic Court.
Suleman Esuf, 22, of Redman’s Village, St. Thomas, was not required to plead to having a traffickable quantity – 2,778.38 pounds – of cannabis and doing acts preparatory for the purpose of trafficking in cannabis, between April 1 and July 26, this year.
The drugs have a street value of $11,073,560.
Prosecutor Acting Station Sergeant Junior Kirton objected to bail pointing to the seriousness of the drugs and the weight.
“I understand this is one that will be dealt with at the high court,” the prosecutor said.
He further told the court Esuf was already on bail from the High Court for other offences of illegal possession of a firearm, violent disorder and serious bodily harm.
However attorney Andrew Pilgrim, who appeared with attorney Lesley Cargill, explained the dates of the alleged drug offences pre-dated the other offences for which Esuf was granted bail.
“I think we need to take our guidance from the Act which outlines fines of up to $500 000. If the court were to grant bail as high as that, if the court was of the view that a curfew was necessary or even reporting to police, we would be amenable to that,” Pilgrim said.
However, Magistrate Christopher Birch remanded the accused to HMP Dodds until October 15 when the accused will reappear in court.
