Two persons were last week fined $140,000 each for trying to smuggle birds out of the country.
Danwattie Persaud, 57, of Georgetown and Kayum Mohammed, 52, of Lot 12 Enterprise, Leguan, both pleaded guilty to the charge of exporting birds without permission when it was read to them at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.
For Persaud on April 27, at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA), Timehri, she attempted, without permission, to export Chestnut-bellied seed finches, commonly known as ‘Towa Towa’ birds out of Guyana to the United States of America.
Mohammed tried to do the same thing on April 28. He was heading to Canada with the birds.
According to Police Prosecutor Neville Jeffers, the individuals who attempted to smuggle the birds, had stuck the creatures into plastic tubes that are similar to large hair curlers. The two were caught by officers at the screening point in the Airport, when their handbags were checked.
In the case of Persaud, she told the officers that the birds were given to her for her to take to New York, while Mohammed said that he was taking them to Toronto for himself.
Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan fined them for the illegal exportation of the birds.
