The two baggage loaders, who allegedly loaded nearly five pounds of cocaine on to a flight destined for Canada, remain prisoners on remand following another failed bail application by their lawyer, while charges are yet to be instituted against the dog-handler who was also implicated in the plot.
Eyon Persaud, 25, of Hyde Park, Timehri and Alex Seymour, 20, of 58 Garnett Street, Newtown, Kitty, appeared before Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry last Tuesday, slapped with a possession of narcotics for the purpose of trafficking charge. According to the charge, the men had 2.234 kilogrammes of cocaine on May 23 at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA). They both pleaded not guilty to the charge.
Before Magistrate Leron Daly at the Providence Magistrate’s Court, where the matter was called yesterday, the men’s lawyer James Bond made a second bail application on their behalf.
Bond pointed out that nothing had been found on either of them, while arguing that the drugs were found in a place on the plane where a multitude of persons had access to, both here and at its previous destination in Trinidad. He added that the only evidence available to the police was that of the statements provided by Persaud and Seymour. However, he said, his clients are contesting these statements.
According to Bond, there were no eyewitnesses who saw the accused put the cocaine into the compartment. He noted that they were also searched before entering the aircraft and nothing had been found on them.
As a result, he requested reasonable bail for both men.
However, his request was denied and the men will remain in police custody until June 30, when another hearing is set.
According to Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) Prosecutor Oswald Massiah,
