Electrician Hadrick Cum-mings, who attempted to smuggle cocaine out of the country in a shipment of ochroes, was yesterday sentenced to five years in jail and fined $40.5M after admitting to the crime.
“…The reason why I go ahead with this is because my mother is sick. So, I tried something but I did not succeed,” Cummings, 25, of 23 John Street, Campbellville, told Magistrate Ann McLennan at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court, before the sentence was handed down.
Cummings, who is the registered owner of Ebiney Import and Export, attempted to smuggle 15.55 kilos of cocaine, with a street value of $13.5M, into the United States through the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, Timehri (CJIA).
Police prosecutor Neville Jeffers said that on Monday, August 12, 2013, Cummings presented himself to Total Air Cargo, an agent, for Amerijet International at the CJIA, producing all the relevant documents to export 195 boxes of vegetables, including bora, ochro and eggplants.
However, when ranks from the Police Narcotics Branch examined the shipment in his presence, they found 99 boxes of fresh ochro which contained the illicit drug.
The ochro was hollowed out and filled with the illegal substance.
As a result, Jeffers said Cummings was told of the offence a
nd arrested and under caution he claimed full knowledge of the cocaine in the ochro and said he conspired with others to send the shipment.
