A Jamaican national who swallowed a quantity of cocaine pellets, pleaded guilty to trafficking in narcotics and was jailed for three years and slapped with a $10,000 fine when he appeared before Acting Chief Magistrate Melissa Robertson at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court yesterday.
According to the charge, on February 13 at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, Timehri, 31-year-old Errol Barrette of 11 Duke Street, Falmont, Jamaica had in his possession 516 grams of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking.
According to Police Prosecutor Denise Griffith, “on the day in question around 4 am the defendant was preparing to board Caribbean Airlines flight 414 to Jamaica when ranks on duty saw him looking suspicious.” Griffith added that after investigations by the ranks were carried out, it was suspected that the defendant had swallowed the illegal substance.
The prosecutor further told the court that 45 pellets were subsequently evacuated from the defendant’s body and when weighed, amounted to 516g.
When given a chance to respond, Barrette, who had been making concrete blocks at Friendship here in Guyana for the past three months, took full responsibility for his actions.
He told the court, “I have to take responsibility for my actions, your Magistrate. At de time I was using de drugs that they find me with I was not sober. The 12th of February was my birthday and I was drinking. But I still tek responsibility, your Magistrate. I am nat blaming it on de alcohol.”
When asked how he had concealed the illegal substance, Barrette answered, “I swallowed it, your Magistrate.”
He concluded, “I am just asking fuh your mercy your Magistrate.”
Prior to making his court appearance, Barrette had been a patient under guard at the Georgetown Public Hospital where he was receiving medical attention.
He was fined $10,000 along with three years’ imprisonment.
