The US Attorney handling the state’s case against cocaine-in-shrimp accused, Heeralall Sukdeo has advised the defence of the discoveries it made, including the seizure of narcotics from the defendant by agents of the Department of Homeland Security.
Sukdeo was charged in New York in July this year and granted US$500,000 bail.
On November 30, 2015, United States Attorney, Eastern District of New York, Robert L Capers wrote to Sukdeo’s lawyer Samuel Gregory outlining what the government had thus far discovered and seeking reciprocation.
Capers’ letter said that Homeland Security agents had seized objects and documents from the defendant including narcotics.
The narcotics referred to here would be separate from the shrimp discovery as Sukdeo never had physical control over that shipment but had been accused of attempting to uplift it.
Capers said that documents in the possession of the government include those seized from Sukdeo at the point of his arrest. These include an invoice related to the seized shipment and a bill of lading.
The government will also utilize statements made by the defendant including emails sent to and from him while he was incarcerated at the Metropolitan Detention Center from July 24, 2015 to September 23, 2015 and audio files of phone calls made by the defendant while incarcerated at the same facility from June 26, 2015 to September 20, 2015.
In addition, the US will rely on the following statements made by Sukdeo at the scene of his arrest on June 23, 2015.
-Sukdeo stated that he was at the storage facility to pick up 30 boxes of seafood that were already in storage;
-Sukdeo denied that he had any association with the truck delivering the container in question or its contents and denied that he was present at the storage facility to unload the container’s contents;
-Sukdeo stated that he was only in the vicinity of the truck and container because he was curious about its contents;
-Sukdeo denied that he was Randolph Frasier.
Capers ended his letter by stating that no plea offer is effective unless and until made in writing and signed by authorized representatives of the office.
Sukdeo, 59, who is the owner of Sukdeo Sons Fishing, a shipping company based in Queens, New York, also has a branch of his company at Lusignan.
His local address is Courbane Park, Annandale, East Coast Demerara.
