A woman who was busted at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) with 10.6 pounds of cocaine hidden in books, was yesterday sentenced to four years in jail and fined $13.1 million.
Rena Devi Jaggernauth, 23, a waitress, stood in the courtroom of Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan, who read the charge to her.
It was alleged that Jaggernauth, on April 1, at CJIA, had 4.853 kilogrammes (equivalent to 10.6 pounds) of cocaine in her possession for the purpose of trafficking.
The accused, who resides in Suriname, pleaded guilty to the crime.
Police prosecutor Gordon Mansfield, told the court that on the day in question, ranks from the narcotics branch were at CJIA when they observed the accused, who was an outgoing passenger on a Copa Airlines flight destined for Panama, acting in a suspicious manner.
The ranks then approached the defendant, identified themselves as police in plain clothes, and requested to carry out a search on the defendant and her items.
The prosecutor noted that when the search was conducted on the defendant’s baggage, a quantity of suspected cocaine was found hidden in the covers of books she had in her suitcase. Jaggernauth was then taken to the narcotics office at CJIA, where further searches were conducted and an additional amount of drugs were found hidden in deodorant bottles, perfume bottles, skin cream jars, makeup kits, markers, and a hair cutting machine.
The drugs were then weighed in the defendant’s presence and amounted to 4.853 kilogrammes.
Asked by the Chief Magistrate if she wished to say anything, the accused responded in the negative.
Jaggernauth was sentenced to four years in jail and fined $13,146,777.
