Darius Frank, a 29-year-old interdicted policeman/farmer was yesterday remanded over the possession of 113.2 lbs of marijuana.
The police said in a release that Frank, who resides at Lot #604 Half Mile Wismar, Linden was arrested on 2023-02-22 and charged yesterday with the Possession of Narcotics for the Purpose of Trafficking. The offence was allegedly committed at Nottinghamshire, Upper Demerara River. The narcotic has a street value of $15,403,998.
The charge was laid under Section 5 (1)(a)(i) of the Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (Control) Act Chapter 10:10.
At about 11:30hrs yesterday, the defendant appeared at the Linden Magistrate’s Court before Magistrate Wanda Fortune where the charge was read to him.
He pleaded not guilty and was remanded to prison. The matter was postponed to 2023-04-06 for disclosure.
The police say that at about 3.15 am on 2023-02-22, police ranks left the Mackenzie Police Station with a Force motor pick-up and Force motorcycles to patrol and conduct searches for narcotic, firearms, ammunition, and stolen articles along the Ituni Trail.
During the patrol, several vehicles were stopped and searched but nothing of evidential value was found. At about 10:30 am on the same day, as the ranks were approaching the Bosai Junction on their way to Linden, they observed a silver grey Fielder Wagon #PZZ 2796 coming out from the trail along the Ituni Road.
Police, the release said, drove up alongside the motor car and observed that Frank was the driver of the car.
Police instructed Frank to stop the car which he did and as the ranks were about to exit the Force vehicle, Frank drove off at a fast rate.
The ranks then gave chase and as they reached Nottinghamshire, the Force vehicle drove into a ditch and turned turtle resulting in three ranks who were seated in the tray of the vehicle sustaining injuries.
An Inspector, a Corporal and two Constables continued their pursuit of the car on motorcycles. As they were about twenty feet away, the release said that Frank was seen throwing bulky bags from the car into some bushes on the roadside. He re-entered the vehicle and was about to drive off but he was stopped by the police ranks.
Police then went to the area where the bags were thrown and found five large bulky bags containing transparent parcels with suspected cannabis which was drawn to the attention of Frank. Frank, who was the lone occupant of the car, was told of the offence committed, and cautioned and he made an oral admission, the police said.
Meanwhile, on 2023-02-22 at about 3.30 pm, police ranks returned to Bosai Junction, through a trail where Frank was seen exiting. Ranks then drove about 300 meters through the said sandy trail and observed thick vegetation. The police ranks proceeded to comb through the bushes where they observed a grey bulky tarpaulin, which was opened and the ranks discovered several multi-coloured shopping bags, brownish/creamish salt bags all containing a quantity of compressed leaves, seeds and stems suspected to be cannabis sativa.
The ranks then took possession of the narcotics and escorted it to Mackenzie Police Station where it was weighed and amounted to 249 pounds.
