$850,000 bail for four on $10m cocaine charge

Four men allegedly held with $10m worth of cocaine in separate incidents over the weekend were placed on a total of $.85 million bail when they appeared before a Siparia Magistrate yesterday. The total weight of the drugs was put at 24.56 kilos. Yesterday Ronnie Mendoza, 36,  of Buenos Aires, Akeil Jerome, Damien Mc Coon and Andre Augustine, all appeared before Siparia First Court magistrate Joanne Connor, charged with possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking. Mendoza, who was represented by attorney Ramesh Deena, was jointly charged with Jerome for having 22.32 kilos of cocaine in their possession at Erin.
They pleaded not guilty to the charge.

Jerome was jointly charged with Mc Coon, who was represented by attorney Roopnarine Rambachan and Augustine, represented by Kenya Murray, for having 2.14 kilos of cocaine in their possession in La Brea. They also pleaded not guilty. Police prosecutor Sgt Dridgenath Sookraj did not object to bail for the men. Jerome was placed on $400,000 bail while Mendoza, Mc Coon and Augustine, were each placed on $150,000 bail to be approved by the clerk of the peace. The charges were laid by Cpl Mac Donald.

Jerome will reappear in the Point Fortin Magistrates’ Court on August 3. He will also reappear on August 6 when Mendoza, Mc Coon and Augustine are expected to reappear in the Siparia Magistrates’ Court. A crocus bag filled with the drugs was tendered in court yesterday before being sent to the Forensic Sciences Centre at St James for testing. In an unrelated court matter, Trevone Toussaint, Kyon Carmichael and Ester Belcon also appeared before Siparia Magistrate, Joanne Connor, charged with possession of a pistol and seven rounds of ammunition. Toussaint and Belcon were granted $150,000 each while Carmichael was placed on $200,000 bail.