A new mother is accused of attempting to smuggle over two kilogrammes of liquid cocaine on a flight out of the country.
Tishana Edwards, 23, of Lot 2 Victoria Road, Plaisance, pleaded not guilty to the charge that she, on February 23, had 2.092 kg of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking in her possession.
Edwards, who was arraigned at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court yesterday, was nabbed at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, Timehri on Mashramani Day.
Customs Anti-Narcotic Unit (CANU) Prosecutor Oswald Massiah said Edwards was approached by a man named Bertrand (only name known) on February 20 with a request that she take two bottles of crème liqueur with her on her flight out of Guyana. The man had claimed that he had too much and needed to be rid of some. The woman agreed and received the bottles from the man. Soon after, Massiah said, Bertrand fled the jurisdiction.
On the date of her arrest, Edwards was a departing passenger bound for the United States on Fly Jamaica flight OJ159-121. However, as her suitcase passed through the scanner at the airport, a CANU rank observed the bottles. The woman was contacted and the suitcase was opened in her presence.
Edwards reportedly told the officer that the suitcase had been packed by her and everything in it belonged to her. The bottles were checked and the seals were discovered broken on both. Suspicions arose and a field test was conducted on the substance, which was subsequently positively identified as cocaine. Edwards was subsequently arrested and charged.
According to Massiah, Edwards had applied for a job with CANU and had even gone in for an interview. However, nothing materialised out of it.
In a bail application, Edwards’ lawyer Denise Hodge stated that her client was not a flight risk and had already surrendered her travel documents to CANU. She further added that Edwards is a self-employed cosmetologist with a newborn who still requires breastfeeding.
Massiah opposed bail for the woman and his objections were upheld by Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry. Edwards was therefore remanded to prison until February 28, when she will make her next appearance at the Providence Magistrate’s Court for reports and fixtures.
In the meantime, her child will be in the care of relatives.
The smuggling of cocaine in its liquid form is believed to be increasing due to the substance’s highly soluble nature and quick reversion to its original state. In some cases, the liquid is immersed in clothing and is then dried to retrieve it on arrival at the intended destination. However, CANU is equipped with the necessary resources to detect the cocaine in liquid form and hidden in clothing.
