By FARRAH JOHNSON
Tribune Staff Reporter
fjohnson@tribunemedia.net
A CUSTOMS officer discovered $140,000 worth of cocaine in a shipment box addressed to a man who was wanted by police for more than a year, a court was told.
Antonio Baillou is charged with conspiracy to possess dangerous drugs with intent to supply, conspiracy to import cocaine, possession of dangerous drugs with intent to supply and importation of drugs.
The charges stem from the discovery of 23 pounds of cocaine at Lynden Pindling International Airport in March 2020.
After evading arrest for 15 months, Baillou was taken into custody, formally arraigned and given a date to stand trial before Magistrate Samuel McKinney on the drug smuggling offences.
When Officer Hodari Collie took the stand yesterday, he said he was on routine patrol at the air freight terminal at LPIA with his police dog when the animal made indications to a shipment with three large packages. He said when he inspected the shipment, he noticed it was “signed to the name Antonio Baillou”. He also said when he opened the packages, they appeared to have “irregularities”.
Officer Collie said he then contacted his superior, closed the shipment and transferred it to the Bahamas Customs headquarters. He said the shipment was then examined and “100 percent” of its contents were evaluated.
The court was told that customs officers found towels, sheets, backpacks and other miscellaneous items in the shipment.
Officer Collie said when they examined the backpacks, they noticed they were “heavy”.
“I cut open one of the backpacks and stitched in the lining was a white powdery substance that was vacuum sealed,” he stated.
“Nineteen black backpacks were cut open and the same white powdery substance was found sewed into the lining of each one.”
He said after he discovered the drugs, he informed his superior who contacted the police.
The court was told the drugs were then turned over to the Drug Enforcement Unit.
Yesterday the backpacks were exhibited as evidence in court.
In his cross-examination, Baillou, who was not represented by an attorney, said although he was “looking at the bags” the drugs were hidden in, he had “no knowledge” of them.
When he was reminded that cross-examination was his time to question the witness, he told the magistrate he had no questions.
Inspector Tino Smith was the second officer to testify. He said he was on duty at the Criminal Investigations Department on June 22 when he received certain information about a person at the station.
He said he then proceeded to the foyer area where he saw Baillou and recognised him as a suspect who was wanted by the DEU. Inspector Smith said he then cautioned Baillou and informed him that he was under arrest.
The case continues on September 23.
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