Cocaine-in-wig woman gets four years

Magistrate Hazel Octive-Hamilton yesterday sentenced a 56-year-old woman to four years imprisonment for being found with a quantity of cocaine in her wig at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA), Timehri.

Diana Bourne of Lot 140 Eldorado Street, South Ruimveldt Gardens, was also ordered to pay a fine of $595,800 after pleading guilty to the charge of trafficking in narcotics when she appeared at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court.

She admitted that on July 22 at the CJIA she had 662 grammes of cocaine in her possession for the purpose of exportation.

Her lawyer Peter Hugh suggested that the magistrate take into consideration that his client admitted her wrongdoing and had not wasted the court’s time.

He said that his client was having some financial difficulties so she resorted to this to lighten her burden.

Prosecutor Shellon Daniels stated that on the day of the incident police ranks of the Narcotics Unit were on duty at the airport conducting routine searches of passengers on outgoing flights. They checked Bourne’s wig and observed a stocking containing three packets tucked in it.

Daniels said Bourne told one of the ranks “I teking ah chance.” Upon closer inspection they discovered the cocaine concealed in the packets.

The prosecutor said the cocaine was weighed in front of Bourne, who was on her way to Antigua when she was intercepted.