The accused, Paulette Emanuel of Lot 2567 North Ruimveldt, Georgetown appeared at the Bartica Magistrate’s Court before Magistrate Teriq Mohammed where the charges were read to her. The charge was laid under Section 5 (i) a (i) of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic substances (control) Act 10:10. Emanuel pleaded guilty to the charges and was sentenced to two years in prison and fine $30,000 on each count. It was reported that Emanuel was arrested on Sunday after cocaine and cannabis were unearthed in her bag during a search at the Itaballi Police Checkpoint in Region Seven.

According to police reports, during the operation ranks stopped a motor pickup driven by a 38-year-old of Byderabo Road, Bartica, and conducted a search of the occupants and their belongings. A multi-coloured bag in the woman’s possession was found to contain several bulky parcels suspected to be cocaine along with a smaller parcel containing leaves, seeds and stems suspected to be cannabis. The suspected narcotics were weighed in her presence and amounted to 261 grams of cocaine and 102 grams of cannabis, police reported. The exhibits were lodged and the woman was taken into custody. (Kaieteur News)