A Canadian-based mother and son, who claimed they were paid to take a suitcase containing a total of 10 kilos of cocaine in a false bottom into Toronto, were yesterday remanded to prison.
Esardai and Anand Gocool, are alleged to have been in possession of 5. 282 kg and 5.221 kg of cocaine, respectively, when they were intercepted at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, Timehri.
Esardai, a permanent resident of Canada, and her son, a Canadian national, both denied the charges when they were arraigned at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts yesterday.
Prosecutor Bharat Mangru told Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry that the two were arrested and charged on July 8 at the airport, from where they were scheduled to board Caribbean Airlines Flight 606, destined for Toronto.
Around 1pm, ranks of the Police Narcotics Branch observed the false bottom of the suitcase, which prompted them to conduct a search, the court heard, and the illegal substances were revealed therein.
Mangru said the Gocools identified the suitcase as theirs but they told the ranks that they were paid by someone to transport it to Canada.
Their attorney, Gordon Gilhuys, objected to the use of this statement the younger Gocool, 19, provided to the police, saying that it was not free and voluntary.
After the prosecutor’s objection to bail on the ground of counsel’s failure to advance special reasons for the offence, the mother and son were remanded to prison. The case was subsequently transferred to Court 5, where it will resume on Monday.
