Five charged, remanded over 100-pound Parika drugs bust

From left in handcuffs are Doodnauth Chattergoon, Rajendra Persaud, Khemraj Lall, Marlon Lawrence and Cleve Thornhill, all of whom were charged yesterday at the Leonora Magistrate’s Court with trafficking cocaine and cannabis.

Five men were yesterday remanded to jail after appearing at the Leonora Magistrate’s Court on charges of drug trafficking, following the discovery of over 100 pounds of cocaine and cannabis. 

Khemraj Lall, 39, Marlon Lawrence, 36, Rajendra Persaud, 47, Cleve Thornhill, and Doodnauth Chattergoon, 36, were charged with trafficking 13.8 kilogrammes (equivalent to 30 pounds) of cocaine  and 35 kilogrammes (77 pounds) of cannabis on June 6th, at Parika. 

All five men pleaded not guilty to the charge with the exception of Thornhill, the alleged captain of the boat that transported the two drums containing the drugs, who admitted to transporting the drums with the caveat that he had no knowledge of what was inside them.