Months after federal authorities busted a Guyanese man at the John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York for attempting to smuggle 70 live birds inside hair rollers from Guyana into the US, four persons, including two police officers, were this morning charged for varying offenses.
It is alleged that Gregory Ramkellawan, 40, of Goed Hope, East Coast Demerara; Premraj Ram 31, of Lusignan, East Coast Demerara; Denzil Williams, 32, a special constable of Timehri, East Bank Demerara; and Alex Heywood, 23, a police constable of Tuschen, East Bank Essequibo, were arraigned before a city magistrate.
The first charge stated that the quartet between November 1, 2018 and December 8, 2018, at the Cheddi Jaggan International Airport (CJIA), Georgetown, conspired with each other and persons unknown to export a quantity of specimen, namely finches, through CJIA, without the authorisation of the Guyana Wildlife Conservation and Management Commission or other competent authority.
It was further alleged that between the same periods, Williams and Heywood corruptly obtained from Ramkellawan for themselves and persons unknown, the sum of $600,000 as an inducement or reward for allowing Ramkellawan to export a quantity of specimen, namely finches through the CJIA, without the authorisation of the Guyana wildlife Conservation and Management Commission or other competent authority.
They all pleaded not guilty to the charges after it was read them by Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan.
They were all represented by attorney-at-law Mark Conway, who asked that his clients be released on reasonable bail.
According to information, Ramkellawan departed CJIA and traveled to the US, where he attempted to depart the JFK International Airport. He was caught with 70 birds hidden in curlers that was in his carry-on luggage. As such, he was refused entry and sent back to Guyana the following day.
An investigation was then conducted and a wanted bulletin was issued for him.
He subsequently turned himself over and told police officers that he paid Heywood and Williams $600,000 for them to allow him to pass through CJIA without being caught.
He added that Premraj recruited him to carry the birds.
Further investigations were then carried out and they were all arrested, hence charged for the offences.
The were each released on $100,000 bail and instructed to return to court on March 8, 2019.