Jamaican jailed, fined for cocaine-in-lotion

Last Updated on Friday, 3 April 2015, 2:53 by GxMedia

A Jamaican man, who attempted to smuggle more than one kilogramme of cocaine in lotion, was Thursday jailed for five years and fined GUY$3.4 million.

Richard Daniels, 20, wad found guilty for being possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking.

He was busted with 1.236 kilograms of cocaine concealed in two bottles of lotion and two and a half pairs of socks on January 5, last.

Daniels was brought before Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry  for his arraignment and he pleaded not guilty to the charge back then.

However, he was denied a pretrial liberty and the matter was transferred before City Magistrate Ann McLennan for trial. 

Daniels was an outgoing passenger on Fly Jamaica flight OJ155 destined for Kingston, Jamaica.

The prosecution’s facts stated that about 10:05 PM on the night question, a party of police ranks headed by Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Singh was conducting an anti-narcotics operation at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport.

According to the facts, ASP Singh noticed Daniels acting in a suspicious manner and approached him. After making a request, Singh searched Daniels’ suitcase and found that 105 pellet-shaped objects, wrapped in silver paper foil, were found stashed in two bottles of lotion and two and a half pairs of socks.

Subsequently, a field test was conducted at CJIA which proved that the pellet-shaped objects were cocaine. Daniels was told of the offence and taken to the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) where the illicit substance was weighed. He was subsequently charged with drug trafficking.