Two La Romaine brothers were granted $1 million bail each when they appeared in the San Fernando Magistrates Court charged with trafficking 9.9 kilogrammes of cocaine.
The drugs have a street value of $12.3 million. Two other men, one of them a Colombian national also appeared in court charged with trafficking 1.1 kg of cocaine with a street value of $1.1 million.
The four were arrested in two separate incidents in La Romaine on April 11, by officers of the San Fernando CID and the Southern Division Task Force. The four were charged by PCs Moses and Rampersad.
The brothers, Kiwebe and Chiwale Farrell, appeared first before Magistrate Margaret Alert who read the charge to them that on April 11, at Bobb Street, La Romaine, they had in their possession cocaine for the purpose of trafficking. The brothers were represented by attorney Subhas Panday.
The drugs, nine packages weighing 9.9 kg, with an estimated street value of $12.3 million, were tendered into evidence.
Panday told the court Kiwebe, 34, is a pipe fitter and a taxi driver with no pending matters but one previous conviction for marijuana from 2008. He said Kiwebe has a one-year-old child and is not a flight risk.
Panday said Chiwale, 38, is also a taxi driver and has no pending matters. Both men live at Bobb Street, La Romaine.
Panday told the court that he felt the street value of the drugs was overestimated as an ounce of cocaine in court matter is usually priced at $40. He said at that rate, the drugs would be valued $380,000.
Aler said the arresting officers would have the knowledge as to the cost of the drugs. She then adjourned the matter until May 11.
The two other men who were also charged with trafficking were Colombian national Barnes Douglas Ramos Mosquera, 27 and businessman Shaquille Bridgeman.
Alert read the charge that on April 11 at Rahaman Drive, La Romaine, the men were found with 1.1kg of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking in their possession. The drugs have a street value of $1.1 million.
Attorney Shaun Teekasingh represented Bridgeman and said his client is a car rental owner.
Panday represented Mosquera but did not make any submissions on his behalf as Alert adjourned the matter until April 19 when an interpreter will be present.
Alert granted Bridgeman bail in the sum of $500,000 with surety and clerk of the peace approval. His matter was also adjourned until April 19.
