(Trinidad Express) Two men appeared before a Chaguanas Magistrate yesterday charged with the possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking.
Javed Hosein, 40, of Gasparillo and Shazard Haniff, 30, of St. Helena Village, were jointly charged with the offence when they appeared before Magistrate Aden Stroude.
They were not called upon to plead as charges were laid indictably. Bail was granted in the sum of $5 million with surety.
The men were arrested by officers of the Northern Division Task Force (NDTF) during an anti-crime exercise conducted in St Helena District last Saturday.
Hosein and Hannif were jointly charged by Sgt Pitt of the NDTF.
While on mobile patrol, officers received information and intercepted two vehicles suspected of transporting narcotics. A white Mitsubishi Sportero and a black Nissan B13 were stopped and searched during which officers allegedly discovered two suitcases containing a total of 23 packets of cocaine, weighing 20 kilogrammes.
The drug has an estimated street value of $8 million. The matter was postponed March 27.