Shipper, taxi driver remanded for trafficking 7lbs cocaine in salted fish

A shipper and a taxi were moments ago remanded to prison for trafficking seven pounds of cocaine concealed in salted fish at the Amerijet cargo shed at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA).

Those charged are 46-year-old Navindra Sarwan called Tallman, a shipper of First Street, Cummingslodge, Georgetown, and 39-year-old Adrian David, a taxi driver of 127 Shell Road, Kitty Georgetown. The men appeared before Principal Magistrate Judy Latchman at the Diamond Magistrate’s Courts.

The charge against the two stated that between March 7, 2021, and March 8, 2021, between First Street Cummingslodge, Georgetown and Amerijet Cargo Shed, Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) Timehri, East Bank Demerara, they trafficked 3.304 kilograms of cocaine. The said narcotics were intercepted at Amerijet Cargo Shed, CJIA.

Facts presented by Custom Anti Narcotics (CANU) Prosecutor, Konyo Sandiford stated the Sarwan along with four others were taken into custody for questioning after the cocaine was found. The court heard that Sarwan was attempting to ship the cocaine that was supplied by David.

David was later arrested at his home after Sarwan told ranks that he supplied the cocaine. On arrival at David’s home, ranks found samples of salted fish with the same concealment method in his refrigerator. He was then arrested and taken into custody.

In  2018, Sarwan was charged with a similar offence. He was later found not guilty.  In that incident, he was reportedly in the process of shipping ground provisions and pumpkins on cargo flight OJ 258 destined for Canada.