Pundit arrested in $30.5M cocaine bust

An Aranjuez pundit has been arrested following seizure of 75.6 kilogrammes of liquid cocaine with a street value of $30.5 million. The illegal drugs were discovered in local soft drink bottles at the Piarco International Airport already packaged and about to be loaded on to a BWIA flight to New York on August 15. Following intense investigations and exhaustive interrogations, officers of the Organised Crime and Narcotics Unit (OCNU) and the Customs and Excise department arrested the pundit on Saturday at his Sooknanan Trace, Aranjuez home.

Pundit Sewchan Ernest, 43, yesterday appeared before Port-of-Spain Fourth court magistrate Lianne Lee Kim charged with possession of cocaine for trafficking. He was not called on to plead, but was refused bail pending tracing by the magistrate. He was advised of his right to apply to a judge in chambers for bail. Pundit Ernest was remanded in custody to reappear on September 3. Police sources, while confirming they have busted a major drug ring in and out of Trinidad and Tobago, denied any culpability of local soft drink manufacturers. “Local manufacturers are not culpable in any way, the traffickers simply use their products. We want to stress the companies that manufacture Coca-Cola, Cannings and SM Jaleel products in which the liquid cocaine was discovered are in no way involved,” declared a senior officer.

Nineteen one-litre and eight half litre bottles were used. Police sources also confirmed the breakthrough, which is part of their ongoing attack on drugs, would continue and they expect to make many more arrests, while they are liaising with their foreign counterparts about arrests on their side. The exercise coordinated by Senior Supt Raymond Craig also included ASP Franklin Edwards and others. ASP Edwards laid the charge.