Two plead guilty over US$2.26M ganja find destined for C’bean countries

(Partab Singh and Fabian Gonsalves)

Two of the six men who were recently busted with 1000.2 pounds of local and foreign marijuana valued at US$2.26M pleaded guilty to a drug trafficking charge on Monday.

Those facing a joint charge for trafficking marijuana are Frank Gonsalves, Fabian Gonsalves, Antonio Ramlgam, Pertab Singh, Dinesha Williams, and David Jardine.

The men were arraigned before Senior Magistrate Leron Daly at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.

The charge against the men stated that on October 1, 2021, they had in their possession 1000.2 pounds of marijuana for the purpose of trafficking.

Gonsalves and Singh pleaded guilty to the charge, while their co-accused entered a plea of not guilty.

The six men were all remanded to prison until October 11, when Gonsalves and Singh will be sentenced. On that day, the matter against the other four will continue.

On October 01, 2021, Customs Anti Narcotics Unit (CANU) ranks in a joint operation with ranks of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Coast Guard went to Father’s Beach, Moruca, Region One where a narcotic operation was conducted.

During the operation,  ranks unearthed four bulky parcels of leaves, seeds, and stems suspected to be cannabis in a boat and several other bulky parcels in some bushes and offshore.  According to CANU, the marijuana was destined for other Caribbean territories.

As a result, the six men were escorted to CANU headquarters along with the said bulky parcels suspected to be cannabis.  The parcels were weighed and amounted to 457.52 kilogrammes which is equivalent to 1007.2 pounds. CANU said the illicit drug carries a street value of US$2.26 million.