ST. GEORGE’S, Grenada– A Jamaican man who attempted to export cocaine to the United Kingdom concealed in honey, coffee, and other household items, is facing charges that could lead to up to 20 years in prison if found guilty of the violations.
Michael Anthony Burrell, 59, a construction worker residing in the suburban community of Confer, was arrested and charged by officers attached to the Drug Squad Unit with two counts of Trafficking in a Controlled Drug and one count of Attempting to Export a Controlled Drug.
Police say that the charges were laid following a search of his home, during which several items were discovered.
The items found in a black plastic bag contained one pound of cocaine with an estimated street value of US$45 454.00 and two bottles of hair product that also tested positive for the presence of cocaine.
Also found was a piece of paper bearing a name, a United Kingdom address, a telephone number, and a receipt bearing the name of a local shipping agency.
The Police then visited the shipping company’s office to locate and search the box that Burrell wanted to ship to the UK.
“On Wednesday, March 02, 2022, Burrell was taken to the agency, where a large box was retrieved and opened in his presence. The box contained spices, seasonings, cocoa powder, honey, syrup, and coffee. Upon further inspection of each product, a total of fifteen (15) packages were concealed within the goods containing 2.33 kg of cocaine,” said a news release from the Community Relations Department.
Police say that the estimated street value of the drug found is approximately US $233,000.
Burrell, who appeared at the St. George’s Magistrate Court on Friday, was remanded to Her Majesty Prison and is scheduled to reappear in court on March 14.
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