Magistrate Sherdel Isaacs yesterday jailed a city businessman for ten years and imposed a whopping $254 million in fines, after she found him guilty of two counts of possession of over $84 million worth of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking.
Vishnu Bridgelall called `Haffa’, 45, of 90 Second Street, Alberttown was one of four men who were arrested and charged after members of the Customs Anti Narcotics Unit (CANU) raided a house at Enterprise, East Coast Demerara in May, and discovered over 100 kilogrammes of cocaine in fish glue, which was being prepared for export.
Bridgelall’s conviction and sentence effectively ends the prosecution of the case, which was being heard at the Vigilance Magistrate’s Court. On May 17, when the quartet first appeared at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court, Chandrika Chattergoon, called ‘Percy’, 27, of 185 Charlotte Street, Enterprise had pleaded guilty. Principal Magistrate Melissa Robertson-Ogle, before whom they had appeared, had sentenced Chattergoon to four years in prison on each count and remanded the other three, after turning down bail applications by their lawyers. The case was then transferred to Vigilance.
Bridgelall’s two co-accused, Thakoor Persaud, called ‘Thaks’, 32, of Lot ‘K’ Soesdyke and Azad Khan, called ‘Waqar’, 32, of 6 Madewini, both on the East Bank Demerara, had been granted $700,000 bail several months ago, when the prosecution closed its case.
Originally, last Friday was the date set for the conclusion of the case, but the magistrate had told Bridgelall, Persaud, and Khan that day that the court was not yet ready with the decision.
Magistrate Isaacs exonerated Persaud and Khan at the beginning of yesterday’s proceedings, at the same time as she pronounced Bridgelall guilty. Persaud and Khan immediately left the court, not waiting around to hear their co-accused’s sentence.
For some two hours after, there were lengthy arguments from both sides, prior to the magistrate handing down sentence, about the amount of fines Bridgelall should be made to pay.
During this time, Bridgelall, who had been exporting fish glue and shark fins for the last ten years, appeared animated. However, when the magistrate read his sentence, his face crumpled in shock and by the time he got to the bottom of the court stairs he was in tears.
Bridgelall was sentenced to five years on each of two counts of possession of narcotics for the purpose of trafficking, in addition to fines of $48 million and $206 million respectively. The two prison terms will run consecutively.
The Narcotics Act states that fines could be either $10,000 or three times the market value of the substance, whichever is greater.
The magistrate, in the light of the quantity of cocaine involved, had requested information about its value.
Two certificates of evaluation, prepared by Assistant Commissioner of Police and Officer-in-Charge of ‘C’ Division Leroy Brummel, were brought to the court’s attention.
Attorney-at-law Anil Nandlall, who appeared for Bridgelall and Khan, submitted that the information the court was seeking from the prosecution about the value of the cocaine, had nothing to do with the defence. He said he was particularly interested in the length of sentence the magistrate would impose and the memorandum of reason.
Brummel testified that during 1988, while he was based at the Narcotics Section, CID Headquarters, Georgetown, he was gazetted to help with determining the street value of drugs. He said that he still had that authority today and had valued drugs in two other cases.
He said he had issued two certificates to CANU on November 20, with about three names listed on them, one of which was the “call name” `Haffa’.
Brummel then read the information on the two certificates of evaluation to the court. He said that the street value of one kilogramme (kg) of cocaine is around $800,000 so that the 20 kg listed in the first certificate would cost $16 million.
He said he certified the second amount – 86.5 kg – as valued at $68.8 million.
Under cross-examination by Nandlall, the Commander testified that the last case he valued was approximately six to seven years ago.
He said he would arrive at his value based on information he receives from his contacts and would usually follow the market value as it relates to drugs in the US.
The two certificates were tendered into evidence and after Brummel had concluded giving his evidence, the magistrate stood down to decide on whether she would use the information on the certificates to arrive at a figure for the fines.
She emerged from her chambers about 15 minutes later and handed down her decision, which left many in the courtroom in shock.
While the magistrate was in chambers, Bridgelall was seen conversing with his lawyers, relatives and friends. He appeared cheerful and even managed a few laughs. He was handed some money, food and some medicine shortly before the case resumed.
The prosecution’s case was that around 12.30 pm on May 16, CANU ranks went to a home at Charlotte Street, Enterprise. During searches of the property, 86.5 kg of cocaine and an additional 20 kg of cocaine were found concealed in fish glue. The CANU ranks also seized a quantity of scissors, rolling pins, knives, a gas cylinder and stove and the mesh on which the fish glue was placed to dry. The four men who were in the house when the officers arrived were arrested and made a court appearance the following day. Attorneys-at-Law Mark Waldron, Vic Puran, Euclin Gomes and Sanjeev Datadin also appeared for the defence.
Five witnesses, including the landlord of the house where the drugs were found and CANU officers gave evidence.
