MAR 20

Police in Grenada have slapped a number of money laundering and drug related charges on five suspected drug dealers from St. Andrew's.

Law enforcement officers attached to the Grenville Police Station, Drug and Strike Squads moved in on three fishermen and two businessmen for allegedly being in possession of 19 kilos of Cocaine.

Speculation is rife that two of the fishermen came into contact with the cocaine last weekend when they discovered it in Grenadian waters on returning home from a fishing expedition.

Well-placed sources told this newspaper that the fishermen claim that they had no knowledge of what was in the bag when they made the discovery and that it only when they landed ashore they opened the bag which had a funny smell.

However on Sunday, a party of police officers from Grenville carried out an operation in the Telescope and Soubise areas where a total of 19 kilos of Cocaine and cash amounting to US $5,925.00 and EC $6,000.00 were discovered.

The police soon picked up 39 year old businessman Alerick Bhola of Ford, St. Andrew's, 28 year old fisherman Cardel Garraway of Grand Bras, 20 year old Paul Albert of Telescope, 21 year old Raymond Anderson, 35 year old Joseph Henry and 36 year old Kennison Phillip, also of St. Andrew's.

Grenada Today understood that one of the suspects took possession of 5 kilos of the illegal drug when the boat landed at Telescope. It was reported that the suspect sold three of the five kilos to another man at a cost of US$6000.00 and later obtained another EC$6000.00, for the other 2 kilos.

All of the suspects excluding Garraway appeared before Magistrate Oforiwa Augustine at the Grenville Magistrate's Court on Wednesday and were granted bail with surety. Bhola was placed on EC$ 25,000.00 bail with one (1) surety after pleading not guilty to charges of money laundering, possession, trafficking and handling a controlled drug.

Phillip and Albert were placed on EC$100,000.00 bail with 2 sureties after pleading not guilty to possession and handling of illegal drugs. Henry pleaded not guilty to charges of money laundering, possession and trafficking of a controlled drug and was placed on EC $17,000.00 bail with 1 surety.

Bhola, Phillip, Albert and Henry were represented by defense counsels Peter David and Teddy St. Louis. Anderson also pleaded not guilty to drug possession and money laundering charges and was released on EC $100,000.00 bail with 2 sureties. He is being represented by Nevline John. The suspects will reappear before the Court on April 29 for the start of the Preliminary Inquiry into the case brought against them.