Two Jamaicans were allegedly found with 15.8 pounds of marijuana, concealed in the false bottom of a suitcase, at the Number 78 Village foreshore, Corentyne, where they were attempting to travel via the backtrack route to neighbouring Suriname.
Benjamin Carrington, 29, and Dian Patterson, 22, who both gave their address as of Lot 12 Papine Campus, Kingston, Jamaica, appeared before Magistrate Rabindranauth Singh at Springlands Magistrate’s Court, where they pleaded not guilty to the charge of being in possession of narcotics for trafficking.
They were refused bail and were remanded to the New Amsterdam Prison until May 30.
Police Prosecutor Inspector Godfrey Playter said that on May 12, at about 4.15 pm, police were on duty at the Number 78 Village foreshore, where they were conducting searches on passengers who had intended to travel to Suriname via the backtrack route.
Playter said that as a policeman was searching a black suitcase that was presented by Carrington, he noticed it had a false bottom.
The screws and a cardboard were removed, revealing six compacted square-shaped black plastic parcels, which contained leaves, seeds, and stems suspected to be cannabis.
Carrington and Patterson were subsequently escorted to Springlands Police Station, where the narcotic was weighed, in their presence. It amounted to 7.17 kilogrammes or 15.8 pounds. They were told of the offence, and later charged.
Meanwhile, Patterson reportedly told sleuths, that she was unaware of her boyfriend’s business dealings and she was also concerned about her parents finding out about her fate in Guyana.
