Women remanded for 345 pounds of suspected cannabis

Two women arrested last weekend following the discovery of over 345 pounds of suspected cannabis along the West Coast of Berbice have been remanded to prison.
Shamay Bryan, 33, and Sarafina Cheddy, both of Smithfield, New Amsterdam, appeared before Magistrate Michelle Matthias at the Blairmont Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday.

They are charged with possession of narcotics for the purpose of trafficking. Police reported that during a stop-and-search operation along the Number 10 Public Road, West Coast Berbice, on Saturday morning, ranks intercepted a motor car around 07:20 hrs.
The vehicle contained several brown salt bags and black garbage bags in the trunk, which held bulky parcels wrapped in transparent plastic suspected to contain cannabis. The total quantity recovered was 345.8 pounds, a significant seizure for the division.

Authorities said the find is part of ongoing intelligence-led operations targeting drug trafficking routes between Berbice and other regions of the country. In court, both Bryan and Cheddy pleaded not guilty to the charges and were remanded.
They are scheduled to return to court on 26 March.

Bryan told the court she operates a grocery business in Smithfield, while Cheddy described herself as a housewife.
During the hearing, police prosecutor Sergeant Garfield Edwards revealed that Cheddy is a former prison officer and is already facing a separate narcotics charge.
Edwards explained that Cheddy, previously known as Sarafina Pitt, was allegedly arrested at the New Amsterdam Prison in December 2022 with 500 grams of cannabis. She is currently out on $100,000 bail for that matter, which remains pending before the court.