Two men accused of procuring persons to smuggle cocaine were yesterday remanded to prison when they appeared before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan in a Georgetown court.
Mark Sauers, 26, and Rolston Bacchus, 40, were slapped with two charges which alleged that they procured Safraz Jaluladeen along with Kathleen De Florimonte and Odessa Pollard to traffic cocaine.
According to the first charge, the crime occurred between April 1st and May 19th, in Georgetown where the duo procured Jaluladeen to traffic six kilos of cocaine. The two men pleaded not guilty. Jaluladeen is currently serving time at the Lusignan Prison for trafficking in cocaine.
Bacchus was read a second charge which stated that between July 1st and November 5th, 2015, in Georgetown, he procured De Florimonte and Pollard to traffic 12.348 kilos of cocaine. He pleaded not guilty to the charge. In relation to this matter, both Pollard and De Florimonte had been apprehended and charged.
Pollard, who was an outgoing passenger on a Caribbean Airlines flight to Trinidad, was searched by Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) ranks, who found the cocaine concealed in Kerrygold-brand packets of milk in her suitcase. De Florimonte, a security guard at the airport who allegedly tried to help Pollard board the flight with the illegal substance, was charged with intent to traffic the illicit drug.
CANU prosecutor Konyo Sandiford-Thompson objected to bail and requested that the matters be tried separately. She said that Sauers has several matters of a similar
nature before the Providence and Sparendaam magistrate courts.
It was further stated that the defendant was granted bail for both matters but neither trial has begun. If granted bail, she stated, the defendant can engage in similar acts.
As it relates to Bacchus, the CANU prosecutor said that he was a person of interest since the matter involving the two women.
CANU officers were in search of Bacchus since then and they fear that if he is released on bail, they would once again be unable to find him, the prosecutor said.
In relation to both matters, the court heard that CANU is ready to begin the trial. Bail was denied by the Chief Magistrate and the matter adjourned to June 21st.
The matter concerning both defendants will be heard by Magistrate Judy Latchman and the matter with Bacchus will be heard by Magistrate Fabayo Azore.
Sauers had appeared in court before on another drug charge. On November 20th last year, he was charged with conspiring with Jermaine Lowe to traffic 15.308 kilos of cocaine.
