Guyana Observer News

CANU supervisor in cocaine suitcase probe released on station bail

Friday, 29 January 2010

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Police on Wednesday evening granted station bail to the senior Customs Anti- Narcotics Unit (CANU) officer who was held in connection with the 50lb cocaine bust at the JFK airport earlier this month. Stabroek News has been reliably informed that the officer, who is the unit’s operations supervisor at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, was granted $50,000 station bail. Efforts to contact Crime Chief Seelall Persaud on the issue yesterday were futile. However, this newspaper was told that mere hours after the officer – who was sent on leave since CANU and police launched a joint investigation into the matter – was arrested, he was granted bail. The cocaine, which was conveyed in a pink suitcase checked in by Dorothy Sears who is now in custody in the US, slipped past officials at the local airport but was intercepted when the Delta Airlines flight touched down in the US.

Sears, who also had marijuana packed in her bra, told authorities that she was asked to check in the suitcase and was told not to retrieve it when she touched down. The suitcase was sniffed out by a specially trained dog.

According to reliable information, the CANU officer who is ensnared in the matter has been the airport supervisor for many years; in fact from the time the unit became a semi-autonomous body, almost 13 years ago.

There are reports that a video recording is assisting investigators in the matter but it is not clear if this is admissible in court.

Reports are that a baggage handler was about to search the suitcase, in which the wrapped packets of cocaine were, when she was stopped. Reports also say that the supervisor is known to have influential connections and this may explain how he was detained for only a short period.

CANU, the police and officials at the airport have come under severe criticism as year after year cocaine has been slipping through the airport and only persons with small amounts have been apprehended.

The government has also been criticised for not going after big drug dealers in the country.

It is not clear why the CANU officer was in police custody as in the past the unit has investigated, charged and prosecuted cases it was involved in.

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