Convicted drug mule Sarfraz Jalaladeen

less than a day after Sarfraz Jalaladeen, 30, of Riverview, Ruimveldt, Georgetown, was busted at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport with almost 12 pounds of cocaine in milk powder packets, he was sentenced to serve four years in prison and fined $16.3 million.

Jalaladeen made his court appearance on Friday at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts before Chief Magistrate,Ann Mc Lennon, where he pleaded guilty to the charge when it was read to him.

Reports are that Jalaladeen, who is a welder, and was travelling for the first time to the United States via a Caribbean Airlines flight, was intercepted by members of the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) on Thursday evening when they became suspicious after noticing several packets of what appeared to be powdered milk in the man’s suitcases.

A closer examination revealed that the milk packets were resealed and a further check was undertaken. It was then that the ranks realised that the contents of the packets were cocaine. He was arrested and taken to CANU headquarters where the illegal substance was weighed and proved to be just over 6kg.

Jalaladeen provided a statement to CANU agents and was charged. He also provided additional information to the ranks as they continue their investigations.

He reportedly told CANU ranks that he was promised US$7000 to traffic the illegal substance to New York but did not say if he is was paid an advance. Head of CANU, James Singh when contacted told Guyana Times that the drug enforcement unit will continue to hunt cocaine mules as the Anti-Narcotics Unit continued to crack down on the trafficking of narcotics.

Singh noted that they have beefed up their operations at the two main ports of entry and it has been yielding results.