Two Berbice men were on Monday remanded to prison after appearing before the Blairmont Magistrate’s Court on a charge of possession of narcotics for the purpose of trafficking.
The accused, 21-year-old construction worker Antonio Peters of Sheet Anchor Village, East Canje, and 28-year-old taxi driver Delvin Semple of Angoy’s Avenue, New Amsterdam, appeared before Magistrate Michelle Matthias, who read the charge against them.
It is alleged that on April 23 in Weldaad Village, the duo had in their possession approximately 2,600 grammes of cannabis with intent to traffic. Both men pleaded not guilty.
Peters was represented by attorney-at-law Horatio Edmondson, while Semple appeared unrepresented.
Police Prosecutor Sergeant Garfield Edwards strongly opposed bail, telling the court that at the time of the discovery, Peters and Semple were the only occupants of the vehicle in which the narcotics were found. He further argued that both men posed a flight risk, highlighting that Semple allegedly provided an inaccurate address, making it difficult for authorities to locate him if released.
The prosecutor also informed the court that video evidence exists in which the defendants allegedly admitted to possession of the drugs, emphasising the seriousness of the offence as grounds for denying bail.
In response, Edmondson contended that the prosecution initially objected to bail without clearly establishing the nature of the substance. After clarification from the magistrate, he acknowledged that the substance is alleged to be cannabis, pending confirmation. He also noted that there was no indication that the substance had been sent for testing and pointed out that the alleged video evidence had not been disclosed.
Despite these arguments, Magistrate Matthias, citing the gravity of the offence, refused bail.
Both men were remanded to prison, and the matter was transferred to the Weldaad Magistrate’s Court for further proceedings.
According to police reports, the arrests were made on Thursday, April 23, 2026, at around 15:40 hrs during a stop-and-search exercise along the Weldaad Public Road, West Coast Berbice, when officers intercepted a white Toyota Fielder wagon with two occupants.
A search of the vehicle reportedly uncovered four large parcels wrapped in transparent plastic containing leaves, seeds, and stems suspected to be cannabis. The parcels were concealed in two multi-coloured shopping bags in the trunk.
Both men were arrested and taken to the Weldaad Police Station, where the suspected narcotics were weighed in their presence. The total amounted to approximately 45.4 lbs.
The drugs, along with the vehicle, were lodged as investigations continue.
