Former national footballer and Alpha United member, Manasseh Primo was jailed in New York in January this year for 10 months after admitting to the importation of cocaine into the US on June 11, 2015.
According to court documents seen by Stabroek News, Primo was found to have swallowed 51 pellets containing 375 grammes of cocaine.
He had arrived at the JFK Airport in New York on a flight from Guyana. He was originally charged with two counts: importing cocaine and possession of cocaine with intent to distribute.
The latter count was dropped following a plea deal. He had been in custody from June 11 last year. He was sentenced on January 15, 2016.
The court documents said that Primo admitted to having transported cocaine into the US on an earlier occasion and being paid $500,000 for the job. On that occasion he passed approximately 46 pellets and was paid US$2,500. He subsequently returned to Guyana.
According to Special Agent Donald Farrier, it was Primo’s nervous attitude at the JFK Airport which alerted customs officer that something was wrong and upon further questioning he admitted that he had swallowed the pellets.
Court documents seen by this newspaper said that on June 11th, 2015 Primo arrived at the JFK International Airport aboard a Caribbean Airlines Flight. He was approached by a customs officer for a border enforcement examination. He presented a suitcase for inspection during which he stated that he had entered the US to visit family members and play in a soccer tournament.
“The defendant stated that he did not know where his family lived or (where) he was going to meet them. During the examination, the defendant appeared increasingly nervous and could not keep eye contact with the CPB officers,” Agent Farrier said.
However, a search of the baggage was completed with negative results.
Primo was then escorted to a private search room and a pat-down search was completed but again that turned up negative. He continued to appear nervous and could not articulate details about his trip or a previous trip to the US. He was further grilled by the officers and he then admitted to swallowing pellets of drugs.
The footballer was transported to the JFK medical facility and there he passed one pellet in the restroom.
The pellet contained a white, powdery substance, which field-tested positive for the presence of cocaine.
He then signed a consent form and an x-ray was taken of his intestinal tract. It showed that foreign bodies were located inside the defendant’s body.
He then passed a further 50 pellets.
