St James resident Irwin de Gannes was granted $6 million bail while a Santo Domingo national was denied bail on charges of trafficking cocaine and marijuana with a street value of $4.4 million.
De Gannes, 39, a taxi driver, and Valentine de Jesus, 44, both appeared yesterday before San Fernando Second Court Magistrate Suimongal Ramsaran.
They were arrested on Saturday after Southern Division Task Force officers stopped a vehicle at M2 Ring Road, La Romaine.
It is alleged that inside the vehicle police found 21.80 kilogrammes of cocaine contained in seven packages and 7.60 kilogrammes of marijuana in 28 packets.
They were charged by Cpl Samaroo with possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking and possession of marijuana for the purpose of trafficking.
They were not called upon to enter a plea since the charges were laid indictably.
De Gannes’ attorney Subhas Panday, in his application for bail, said he was the father of three young children and had two previous convictions for marijuana possession.
In objecting to bail, prosecutor Sgt Dianath Harricharan said de Gannes was a flight risk since he was charged with a foreign national and may have connections abroad.
He said it was possible if granted bail he would abscond.
Panday, however, said there was no evidence that his client has a connection with the foreign national.
Granting him bail, the magistrate ordered that he surrender his passport and if he does not have one to provide evidence to that effect.
He was ordered to report to the St James Police Station three times a week.
De Jesus could not speak English so the court sought the assistance of Spanish interpreter Luz Marina Tapias de Copilah.
He told the magistrate that he went to the area to buy wild meat from a “mister” and did not know anything about the drugs.
He also claimed the police took his phone.
De Jesus said he has been in the country four months and has been staying at Union Hall, San Fernando.
If granted bail, however, he said he would be staying by someone else but he only knew the person as Franklyn and did not know where he was living.
Objecting to bail, the prosecutor said he had no ties to the country and was a flight risk.
The magistrate agreed with the prosecutor and denied him bail.
He was denied bail and advised of his right to apply to a judge in chambers for bail.
The matter was adjourned to March 14.