Six Guyanese charged in the biggest drug bust in Barbados’ history are still on trial.
Christopher Bacchus, 39, and his wife Diane, 33, of No. 30 Bay Gardens, Bayland, St Michael; Lemme Campbell, 40, and his wife, 36-year-old Somwattie Persaud, of 106 New Garden Street, Georgetown, Guyana; Gavin Wayne Greene, 34, of Bridgefield, St Thomas; and Rohan Rambarran, 39, were all charged with importing cocaine and marijuana worth Bds$7 million, between November 23 and 30, 2005. The Bacchuses, Campbell, Persaud and Green have been charged with possession of cocaine and marijuana with intent to supply, and trafficking of the drugs, while Rambarran, a businessman, has been charged with importing the cocaine and marijuana some time between November 23 and 30, 2005.
They have all pleaded not guilty to the offences, however only Rambarran is out on bail. The others were deemed to be flight risks, while Rambarran was granted bail in the sum of Bds$250,000. The cocaine had a street value of Bds$6.3 million, while the cannabis was worth Bds$743,600.
Barbados police discovered more than 109 packages of cocaine and 78 packages of marijuana in a shipment of lumber, which arrived from Guyana. On November 18, 2005, agents of the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) had searched a consignment of timber destined for Barbados at the GNIC wharf after they received a tip off that it contained drugs.
However, the search yielded nothing. At the time, a CANU source said they had received a tip off that led them to search the load at the wharf, and the exporter was subsequently questioned. Other timber consignments have been intercepted with drugs.
Campbell and his wife Somwattie made headlines locally in 2005 when the woman was kidnapped from the couple’s New Garden Street, Queenstown home.
On June 8, 2005 three masked men armed with guns broke down the door and barged into their home. They claimed to have been looking for the husband, who was at the time on his way out of the country. The men forced the woman into their waiting car and sped off, but she later escaped after she managed to free herself and jump out of the car. Lemme Campbell had told the local media that he had no problem with anyone and he could not think of any reason apart from robbery, for the attack on his family. He was said to be a fish exporter for a number of years.
