Safraz Jallalodeen, who was busted in May at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport with over 10 pounds of cocaine hidden in powdered milk, yesterday testified that he saw half a dozen other people, who were prepared by the men who recruited him, make it through customs during an earlier trip.
Jallalodeen was at the time testifying at the trial of his alleged recruiters, Mark Sauers and Rolston Bacchus.
The charges against Sauers and Bacchus state that the duo procured Jallalodeen along with Kathleen De Florimonte and Odessa Pollard to traffic cocaine between April 1 and May 19, 2016, and between July 1 and November 5, 2015.
Jallalodeen, who is currently serving a four-year sentence at the Lusignan Prison, told Magistrate Judy Latchman that while working as a welder with a person he identified as ‘Scaly,’ he met Sauers.
Sometime after the meeting, Jallalodeen stated that in the presence of Sauers he told ‘Scaly’ that he was going to get his US visa and he should do the same. He, however, added that at the time he was experiencing financial difficulties.
Jallalodeen stated that he later saw Sauers driving along the road and when he stopped him and told him about his financial difficulties, he was given $5,000.
He said he was then told by Sauers of an easier way to make money and that all for he would have to do would be to drop off a package in New York, for which he would receive US$7,000.
Jallalodeen said he was told to drop off his passport to Sauers and he then met Bacchus, whom he called ‘Bigga.’ He said he was told that he would receive a call as soon as a window opens.
About three to four days passed and Jallalodeen said both defendants picked him up and took him to South Ruimveldt, where he received $10,000 and was told to book a room at a hotel.
He said Sauers told him, “Look how this gon be” and they then proceeded to the Princess Hotel. There, he said, Sauers had two suitcases and Bacchus was outside of the hotel, where there were two other vehicles and about six persons, who later travelled to the airport.
At the airport, Jallalodeen said, he and Sauers proceeded to the departure area and watched as the six other persons checked in and went through customs. “This how easy it gon be,” he said he was told by Sauers.
They then proceeded back to his hotel, where he said he was visited by the defendants, who brought him clothes and asked him to put them on. They then took pictures of him and this act was repeated sometime later by them, he said.
The following day, according to Jallalodeen, Sauers went to the hotel and ensured that he was dressed and once again took a picture of him. A few minutes later, he said, a taxi with two padlocked suitcases picked him up and he was then taken to the Princess Hotel, where the driver picked up his passport and the key for the suitcase from Sauers. He was then taken to the airport.
At the airport, Jallalodeen said, as he proceeded to check in, he was told by an officer that his suitcase would have to be searched.
It was during the search that cocaine was found in several packs of Kerrygold milk. He, however, noted that Sauers had told him that the drugs would be in the suitcase’s liner and in the handle.
He said that he was subsequently taken in by the Customs Anti-Narcotic Unit for questioning and picked out the defendants from pictures that were showed to him.
Attorney Peter Hugh, who began cross-examination of Jallalodeen, will continue at the next hearing, which is fixed for August 4.
