A 35-year-old man was yesterday busted at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA), Timehri as he tried to smuggle four bottles of cocaine concealed in local rum.
A police source told Stabroek News that the illegal drug was contained in four bottles of local rum in the man’s hand luggage. The man was on an outbound Caribbean Airlines flight destined for New York. It was during check-in that police, after noticing him acting suspiciously, checked his hand luggage and tested the substance in the four bottles. The liquid from all four bottles tested positive for cocaine and the man was taken into custody.
According to the source, during interrogation the man revealed that the bottles were given to him by a friend, who resides on the East Coast of Demerara, to take to the US for another friend. He said that he was not paid for the intended delivery.
In a press release, the police said that about 3:25am yesterday, ranks of the Police Narcotics Branch conducted a search on the baggage of an outgoing passenger at the CJIA during which 5 kilograms 829 grams of cocaine were found.
The man has been arrested and is in police custody assisting with the investigations.
