Drug trafficking charges were yesterday read to two women who were intercepted at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, Timehri (CJIA) while trying to board separate flights with cocaine hidden in their luggage last Friday.
Nanda Ali and Vanessa Harper, who were charged separately, pleaded not guilty when they appeared before Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court 1.
Ali, 39, of Courbane Park, Annandale and a beer garden owner, was charged with having 6.2 kilogrammes of cocaine in her possession for trafficking. Harper, 30, of Plaisance, East Coast Demerara and a mother of two, was accused of having in her possession 5.75 kilogrammes of cocaine for trafficking.
According to the cases brought against the women by the Customs and Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU), both Ali and Harper had agreed to transport the cocaine to the United States for US$5,000.
CANU says Harper was given a total of $160,000 in advance. However, as she was about to board a flight at CJIA, CANU officers conducted a search and the cocaine was allegedly found concealed in the covers of her two suitcases.
In the case of Ali, the cocaine was allegedly discovered hidden in the covers and bottom of her suitcases. Ali was represented by attorney Peter Hugh, who applied for reasonable bail to be granted.
He also said if the matter was transferred to another court, he believed that his client would not get a trial completed within a reasonable period of time. Attorney Dexter Todd, who represented Harper, also made an application for bail to be granted while noting she was not a flight risk.
However, both women were refused bail and the matters were transferred to the Providence Magis-trate’s Court for May 25.
