Three years after being charged with trafficking cocaine, a 39-year-old woman was today sentenced to four years behind bars and fined $5,667,228 for the offense.
Joy Jacqueline Caines, of 232 Luckhoo Street, Lodge Housing Scheme, Georgetown, was on trial before Senior Magistrate Dylon Bess in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.
She had denied the charge which stated that on April 16, 2017, at Lot 232 Luckhoo Street, Lodge Housing Scheme, she had 2.092 kilograms of cocaine in her possession for the purpose of trafficking.
Facts presented by Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) prosecutor Konyo Sandiford, stated that on the day in question CANU ranks conducted a raid at the defendant’s home where an empty suitcase with a false wall containing cocaine, along with two small amounts of cocaine, was discovered in her kitchen.
It was also reported that a large quantity of cash – over $14.5 million Guyana dollars, a large amount of US dollars and other foreign currencies – was also found at the property. A Toyota Altezza and a Toyota Premio – and five passports, were also found at the premises and seized.
Throughout the trial, the mother of two was represented by Attorney-at-law Nigel Hughes.
