A police dog handler was yesterday charged with procuring an airport baggage handler to smuggle cocaine aboard an outgoing flight bound for Canada.
Special Constable Jevon David was remanded to prison after he appeared to answer the charge in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts yesterday.
David, 28, of Brighton village, Corentyne, Berbice, denied that he, on May 23, at the CJIA, procured Eyon Persaud to traffic 3.498 kilos of cocaine at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA), Timehri. Persaud is one of two baggage handlers who were charged last week with concealing cocaine in the vent of the luggage hold of an outgoing Caribbean Airlines flight.
Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) Prosecutor Oswald Massiah said that the prosecution will lead evidence to prove that David, who was attached as a dog handler at the airport for the past three years, is guilty of involvement in the matter.
David, through his attorney Peter Hugh, informed the court that he had been under close arrest for the past 12 days without a charge being instituted against him.
The defendant also levelled allegations of mistreatment at the police while in custody. Hugh told the court that the time his client spent in custody was highly irregular and he cited the 72 hours limit stipulated by the law.
Additionally, the attorney argued that the prosecution has no