Former media worker jailed for 4 years, fined $14M for attempting to smuggle cocaine to USA

The next four years of Zanneel Nirmala Williams’ life will now be spent in jail as she was earlier on Monday sentenced to four years in prison and fined $14, 442,000 for attempting to smuggle cocaine to the United States of America (USA).

Williams, 26, who was busted last April with over 10 kilograms of cocaine at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA), opted to plead guilty to a drug trafficking charge earlier this month.

Her sentencing hearing was conducted on Monday by Magistrate Sunil Scarce at the Diamond/Golden Grove Magistrates’ Courts.

On April 22, 2022, Customs Anti-Narcotic Unit (CANU) ranks at the CJIA intercepted Williams, an outgoing passenger destined for the USA with a quantity of cocaine concealed in her carry-on bag. As such, she was arrested and escorted to CANU’s Headquarters.

While there, a further search was conducted on Williams revealed another set of cocaine strapped to her body. According to CANU, 9.628 kilograms of cocaine was discovered in her luggage and 1.666 kilograms were found strapped to her body.

The cocaine carries a street value of US$300,000.