A 26-year-old television cameraman was sentenced on Tuesday to three-and-a-half years in prison for marijuana trafficking. Russell Basdeo, of McKenzie Street, Frederick Settlement, Caroni, received the sentence after being found guilty by Senior Magistrate Cherril-Anne Blake in the Tunapuna First Court. Basdeo was arrested on September 21, 2011 by members of the North Eastern Division Task Force (NEDTF), led by Sgt Roger Alexander and Sunil Bharath.
Basdeo, then employed with Central-based television station WINTV, was driving the company’s white Nissan Almera near Grand Bazaar, Uriah-Butler Highway, when it was intercepted. Police said Basdeo was sitting on the parcel of marijuana which was wrapped in plastic. The charge was laid by PC Johnson of the NEDTF.