Gun accused identified as suspect in cocaine-in-achar plot

The Customs Anti-Narcotic Unit (CANU) yesterday issued a wanted bulletin for a second person in connection with attempts to smuggle cocaine hidden in achar out of the country last weekend.

Tarachandra Persaud, called `Doce’ or `Dos’ of Republic Park, East Bank Demerara,

Tarachandra Persaud
Tarachandra Persaud

is believed to be connected to the busts made last weekend at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, Timehri which has

Dawn Roberts
Dawn Roberts

already resulted in two persons being charged with cocaine trafficking.

According to the bulletin, police recently charged Persaud for discharging a gun outside a nightspot.

Also back in August 2009, an unknown person had strapped a grenade beneath his car. Police had said then that Persaud was driving his vehicle out of his residence  when he was alerted to an unusual sound coming from under the vehicle.

On checking, he observed a fragmentation grenade attached beneath it.

The police responded and removed the device.

On Tuesday, CANU issued a wanted bulletin for Dawn Roberts, who operates a shop at Lot 9, North Road, Bourda, in connection with the busts.

US citizen Winston Blakes, 78, was nabbed at the airport with 10.658 kg of cocaine concealed in achar on Saturday.

Local model Sadeeka Leona Odie, 38, was found with  9.274 kg of cocaine, also concealed in achar. She too was nabbed at the airport.

The duo were outgoing passengers on Caribbean Airlines flight BW526, bound for the JFK Airport, New York.

Blakes and Odie appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts on Monday and they were remanded to prison.

They both denied the charges against them.

Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Persaud and Roberts are asked to contact CANU on telephone number 227-3507.