Two men held with $6.25m in ganja

SHARLENE RAMPERSAD

The two men charged with possession of over 400 kilos of marijuana were denied bail when they appeared in the Siparia Magistrates’ Court yesterday.

Kevon Saitoo and Dawuud Hood, both 35, appeared before Magistrate Margaret Alert charged with the possession of marijuana for the purpose of trafficking. The drugs have an estimated street value of $6.25 million. The men were arrested on Wednesday while travelling in a white panel van along the SS Erin Road, Santa Flora.

When they appeared in court yesterday, they were not called upon to plead as the charges were laid indictably. Saitoo, of Partap Trace, South Oropouche, was represented by attorney Ramnarine Soorjansingh while attorney Chris Ramlal represented Hood.

The crocus bags in which the marijuana was found could not be brought into the courtroom and Alert had to leave the bench to view the exhibits before it could be entered into evidence.

Twenty five crocus bags, each containing 30 plastic-wrapped packages of marijuana, were entered into evidence along with one more crocus bag with just 13 packets. The white Nissan panel van in which the drugs were allegedly found was also logged as evidence. The drugs had a total weight of 461.04 kgs.

Both men, through their attorneys, requested bail pointing out that they each had families with three children to feed. However Court Prosecutor Sgt Starr Jacobs objected to bail based on the quantum and value of the drugs.

Alert upheld the objection, denying both men bail. She then adjourned the matter to March 8.