Two charged in connection with marijuana seizure

Last Updated on Saturday, 26 December 2015, 21:00 by GxMedia

Two men charged in connection with a huge marijuana seizure near a city hotel are expected to be return to court on Monday for a status hearing.

They are dredge owner, Marlon King and mechanic, Carlton Fawsett who were arraigned on Friday on charges of being in possession of a narcotic for the purpose of trafficking.

Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) agents, according to Prosecutor Oswald Massiah, caught the two men outside the La Familia Hotel, South Ruimveldt, Georgetown on October 9,2012 during a “stake out”.

Contrary to an earlier report, the owner of La Familia Hotel was never charged in connection with the find of 8.206 kilograms of marijuana.

King and Fawsett were refused bail when they appeared before City Magistrate, Fabayo Azore. They are expected to return to court on October 14.

King,41, lives at Roxanne Burnham Gardens and Fawsett ,30, resides at Fort Ordnance Housing Scheme, Canje, New Amsterdam.

Massiah explained that, acting on information, went to Aubrey Barker Street, South Ruimveldt in the vicinity of La Familia Hotel. There, a car arrived with King who exited with a suitcase. He then proceeded to the rear of another car that was parked a short distance away.

The Prosecutor further told the court that as King approached that car, the lid of the trunk “instantly flew up” and the accused placed the same suitcase inside and closed the trunk.

Massiah said that shortly after, CANU officers approached the car by which time Fawcett, who was in the vicinity, claimed the car was his. The agents allegedly found 18 packets of the illegal substance were discovered and the men were arrested.

According the prosecutor, King claimed that he was given the suitcase by someone on Sheriff Street but he did not know that it contained the narcotic. Fawcett denied any knowledge. The Prosecutor, in objecting to bail, said “In the circumstances, he from his very conduct set out to deceive the investigating officers and the likelihood of him returning to court during his pre-trial liberty would be just as evasive.”

King’s Defence Lawyer, Melville Duke said the statement was taken from his client under questionable circumstances because he is diabetic and did not acquire food and insulin in a timely manner. He then decided to cooperate for his own medical safety.

On the element of the contents of the suitcase and his knowledge, Duke said that was a matter for trial.

The lawyer said his client had no previous convictions and was financially capable of maintaining himself because he owns a dredge in the interior.