Mocha businessman busted with ganja, cocaine at Mabura checkpoint

Paul Battersfield, a 48-year-old businessman of Mocha Housing Scheme, East Bank Demerara, was busted with a quantity of marijuana and cocaine in his possession.

The discovery was made at the Police checkpoint at Mabura, Region 10 sometime around 21:30h on Thursday.

At the time, Battersfield was a passenger in a blue Totoya Hilux extra-cab pickup bearing Registration #GZZ 9658, driven by Ashman Scott called ‘Scotty’, a 50-year-old Gold Miner of Supply, East Bank Demerara, which had arrived at the Mabura Police Outpost check-point. There was one other person in the vehicle – Dexter Atkinson, a 39-year-old gold miner/carpenter of Kuru Kuru, Soesdyke-Linden Highway.

In the tray of the pick-up vehicle was a freezer. The driver went into the Mabura Police Outpost to be ‘checked in’, and while doing so, one of the Police ranks observed Battersfield acting suspiciously. The rank told the driver that he would like to search the vehicle, passengers and their belongings.

The rank also enquired who the freezer belonged to and Battersfield, who was acting suspiciously, indicated that the freezer belonged to him. The rank asked Battersfield what was in the freezer and he said his belongings.

The rank told him to take out his belongings and in doing so, Battersfield handed a bulky plastic bag to the rank which, when opened, contained five parcels of leaves, seeds and stems suspected to be Cannabis Sativa.

Another parcel found contained a quantity of a whitish powdery substance suspected to be Cocaine. Battersfield was told of the offence committed, cautioned and admitted ownership.

Battersfield was arrested and escorted into the Mabura Police Outpost along with the narcotics. The suspect was subsequently escorted to the Mackenzie Police Station where the Cannabis was weighed in the suspect’s presence and it amounted to 1,988.85 grams while the suspected cocaine was also weighed in his presence and it amounted to 82 grams.

The narcotics were sealed, marked and lodged. Battersfield was placed in custody pending charges. Investigations are ongoing.