FRANCIS JOSEPH Tuesday, July 18 2006

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EVIDENCE: A policeman who asked not to be identified, carries a cardboard box with cocaine allegedly seized at Cross Crossing in San Fernando on July ...

7 in court for $5M in ‘coke’

"Taken from our C O U R T section."

SEVEN persons including two brothers, a woman and three African nationals, appeared in court yesterday charged with trafficking $5 million worth of cocaine last week.

Sudesh and Deo Rampersad of Bedasie Street in Enterprise, Chaguanas, appeared before Magistrate Avason Quinlan in the Port-of-Spain Fourth Court charged with trafficking cocaine. It was alleged that on July 14, at UPS Worldwide Service, 12th Street, Barataria, the Rampersads had cocaine in their possession.

In court yesterday, four packets with the cocaine were produced along with a wooden chess set. The cocaine, which weighed 6.8 kilos was valued at $3 million. Attorney Veena Badri-Maharaj applied for bail for both men, saying they had wives and children.

Badri-Maharaj said the two accused worked as transport men and were in the process of transporting a package when they were held. The prosecution objected to bail although no tracing on the men was available to the court. The magistrate remanded them into custody until today when a decision would be made on the question of bail.

Hours later, five persons appeared in court for trafficking cocaine. Akaida Bynoe, 23, and an African national Ekeneo Koke Gerald, appeared before Magistrate Maureen Gafoor in the Port-of-Spain Fifth Magistrates’ Court. It was alleged that both accused were charged with trafficking 758 grammes of cocaine at Montrose Street in Chaguanas on July 13.

Bynoe, Gerald along with three others Victor Okunkwo, Simeon Edeho and Trevor James, were also charged with trafficking 1.9 kilos of cocaine at Cross Crossing, San Fernando on July 12. The cocaine, reportedly seized from Chaguanas, was brought to court in a black plastic bag, while the cocaine from San Fernando, was brought in a brown cardboard box.

The case of the cocaine seized at Montrose Street was transferred to Chaguanas Magistrates’ Court for today and the matter at Cross Crossing, was transferred to the San Fernando Magistrates’ Court to be heard tomorrow.

The five accused were remanded in custody, but they were advised of their right to apply to a Judge in Chambers for bail.