Mule swallowers on the increase

THE YEAR has been a good one for the Organised Crime and Narcotics Unit (OCNU) of the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service. While there were more arrests and seizure of cocaine, heroin and marijuana, the OCNU is concerned at the increase in the number of swallowers of cocaine at the country’s two airports. Senior Supt Raymond Craig, head of the OCNU, said the unit remains alarm at the number of swallowers who were caught in 2004. Official statistics show that of the 90 persons arrested for cocaine in the last year, 51 were swallowers. “That is disturbing, but we have been able to keep up and catch these guys,” Craig added. Craig pointed out drug mules are doing anything these days to collect a dollar. All the drugs mules were arrested at Piarco International Airport, Trinidad, and Crown Point International Airport, Tobago.

Craig said swallowing cocaine is a very serious matter. So serious is it, that one drug mule ingested cocaine and unfortunately for him, the cocaine burst in his stomach, leading to his death. Dario Edugenago Mes Monterio, a 29-year-old native of Portugal, ingested 808 grammes of cocaine before he was caught at Piarco Airport on August 28. He was taken to the Port-of-Spain General Hospital where he was forced to excrete the drug. Three pellets which remained in his system, burst and the foreigner died at hospital. “It came like a thief in the night. There he was talking with us at the office after his discharge from hospital. He was jovial, not knowing that some cocaine remained in his system, burst and ended his life,” Craig added.
According to Craig, drug traffickers are trying new methods to get their drugs to North America and Europe. One of the most innovative ways is to get the mules to swallow the drugs before flight time.

The mules swallow the cocaine days before their flight. Once the drugs settle in their stomach, the mules catch their flights for international destinations. No cocaine is swallowed at the airport. Then, how do the police catch these mules? Without saying too much, Craig said his officers are trained and keep tabs on suspects with the assistance of outside help, such as the DEA and Interpol. Suspects are held at the airport and questioned. By that time, the police are in possession of good information. Suspects are then taken to hospital, where over a period of time, the medical authorities force the mules to excrete the drugs. It takes time, Craig added, saying that every pellet that comes out, is cleaned and preserved as evidence. Just recently, one mule excreted 83 pellets weighing 1.2 kilos of cocaine. The suspect, when he appeared in court, was small and one wondered how he could have digested all that cocaine. According to Craig, it shows how far the drug trade has reached.

Craig has a bit of advice for persons seeking fast money — “do not be influenced by drug traffickers coming to you and asking you to ingest cocaine for a fee” He said such mules could be charged, fined, imprisoned, or like the Portuguese national, suffer death. Craig has had assistance from his unit during the past year. Together with Supt Gregory Correia, and ASPs Franklyn Edwards and Simon Alexis, the OCNU has had to be vigil as the authories seek to stem the flow of drugs passing through this country. In 2004, four persons were arrested with 17 kilos of heroin with a street value of $14 million. Ninety persons were charged with possession of 329 kilos of cocaine, estimated at $132 million. The 51 swallowers accounted for digesting 19.8 kilos during the past year. Another 72 were charged with trafficking 1,137 kilos of marijuana worth $11.3 million. No arrests were made as the OCNU conducted its eradication programme.

More than 400,000 kilos of marijuana and seedlings with a street value of $1.1 billion were destroyed. The unit also seized 14 weapons including an AK-47 assault rifle, shotguns and hand guns. Police also seized 688 rounds of ammunition and ten persons were arrested. During the year, the OCNU was responsible for 115 cases before the courts. Twenty-four were completed and 91 are pending. A number of foreign mules are in the local prison. They come from the United States, United Kingdom, Venezuela, Colombia, Canada, and South Africa. The year took on a new dimension with officers of the OCNU having to travel to England to conduct investigations into a report that cocaine was found in the diplomatic pouch belonging to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Three persons are now before the courts.

Arresting suspects and seizing drugs are not the prime purpose of the OCNU. During the past year, the unit conducted 54 lectures to 6,500 youths throughout the island. Personnel from the unit were also involved in a Personal Development project with 35 Secondary School students - a venture which was funded by the DEA. Although the OCNU is responsible for drug seizures and arrests, Craig boasted that the unit was involved in other investigations over the past year. This included the solving of two murders and the arrest of two persons who attacked and robbed former President Sir Ellis Clarke in Maraval months ago. One of the suspects pleaded guilty and was sent to theYouth Training Centre (YTC) for three years.
Craig made one admission — 2005 will be more hectic than the one just gone by.