Fishermen, foreigners on narco charge

TWO FISHERMeN and two female foreigners appeared in court yesterday charged with trafficking marijuana and cocaine. The fishermen were allegedly held in the Gulf of Paria for trafficking marijuana, while the women were allegedly held at Piarco International Airport as they were preparing to board international flights.

Allan Sheppard, 28, of Bain Street in Point Cumuna and Sepp Nandhal, 27, of Powder Magazine in Cocorite appeared before Magistrate Lianne Lee Kim in the Port-of-Spain Fourth Magistrates’ Court charged with being in possession of 32.4 kilos of compressed marijuana.

It is alleged Sheppard and Nandhal were held by members of the Coast Guard who were on patrol when they allegedly intercepted a boat the ‘Dorita’, four miles south of Chacachacare Island. During a search, the Coast Guard allegedly found 33 packets of the compressed marijuana.

The two men were arrested and taken to Coast Guard headquarters at Staubles Bay, Chaguaramas, where they were handed over to the Organised Crime, Narcotics and Firearms Bureau (OCNFB) under ASP Franklyn Edwards. The seized vessel was moored at Staubles Bay.

Yesterday, Sheppard and Nandhal appeared in court to answer the charges. Sheppard was represented by attorney Selwyn Ross and Nandhal by Mario Merritt. Customs also laid charges against both men. State attorney Chaitram Bhola represented the Customs and Excise Department.

Court prosecutor, Sgt Roodal Harrilal, produced the 33 packets to the court. Applications for bail were made on behalf of the two men. Nandhal was granted $350,000 with a surety, but Sheppard’s application was turned down.

Sheppard was advised to apply to a judge in chambers for bail. The case was adjourned to May 26. The prosecutor is to find out from the investigators who is the owner of the seized boat.

In the other case, the first woman to appear was Jamaican shop owner Juliet Newman. She was deported on Monday from St Maarten on BW 415. On arrival in Trinidad at 8.45 pm, she was searched. It is alleged that Newman was held with six parcels of compressed marijuana weighing 5.7 kilos. She was remanded in custody and her case adjourned to May 25. Newman had planned to return to Jamaica when she was caught.

The other woman to appear was Rochelle Linger, 21, of Rotterdam, Netherlands. She was arrested on Monday at 6 pm by members of the Organised Crime, Narcotics and Firearms Bureau as she was about to board Tobago Express flight 1570 for Crown Point Airport.

Her hand luggage was searched and police alleged that they found about a kilo of cocaine paste hidden in the hollow bars of her carry-on luggage. The cocaine, according to the police, was estimated at $400,000.

Linger was on her way to Crown Point to catch a Martin Air flight to Amsterdam. She was also remanded in custody to reappear in court on May 25.