A 27-year-old woman who was tied to a cocaine-smuggling attempt involving a Hindu religious item has been jailed for just over two and a half years and ordered to pay hundreds of thousands in fines.
Lisa Ramnarine was sentenced to 32 months’ imprisonment and fined $810,000 when she appeared before Magistrate Leron Daly on Monday. The ruling came after the court found her guilty of having 540 grammes of cocaine in her possession for the purpose of trafficking.
The case dates back to 2022, when ranks from the Customs Anti-Narcotic Unit (CANU) intercepted a suspicious parcel at DHL. The package, described as containing a Havan Kund and other Hindu religious items, was flagged for inspection.
Upon closer examination, CANU officers found a concealed compartment inside the Kund. It was there that the cocaine was discovered. The sender’s details on the shipment were traced back to Ramnarine, leading to her arrest.
CANU confirmed the conviction in a press release on Monday, noting that the sentence and fine were handed down following the guilty verdict.
Ramnarine will now begin serving her prison term as ordered by the court.
