Essequ coca

Almost three years after being charged with trafficking over 94 kilograms of cocaine on-board a vessel in the Pomeroon River, two Essequibo residents were sentenced and fined for the crime.

John Da Silva, called ‘Martin’, 45, of Grant Strong Hope, Lower Pomeroon, and Kevin Fitz Gordon, 34, of Lot 18 Jib Housing Scheme, Essequibo, were found guilty of the charge which stated that on July 17, 2017, in the Pomeroon River, they trafficked 94.954 kilogrammes (equivalent to 210 pounds) of cocaine. They were both on trial before Magistrate Esther Sam at the Charity Magistrate’s Court, who handed down the two-year sentence and the $99,701,700 fine.

During their first appearance at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts, both men, who were represented by attorney Mark Waldron, had denied the charge. However, after Magistrate Sam, on Monday, found sufficient evidence against the men, she sentenced each to two years behind bars and a fine of $99,701,700 each.

According to a statement released by the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) days before the men made their first appearance before a court, Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Coast Guard ranks, who were on patrol, came upon the vessel offshore and the men subsequently attempted to flee,

Gordon has also had other run-ins with the law. In 2015, he was arrested by CANU for narcotics though he was acquitted, while in June, 2017, he was arrested again by CANU ranks after being found with a large quantity of US currency in his posses