Airport worker on trial for possession of criminal property
ST JAMES, Jamaica – A Deputy Superintendent of Police testified Tuesday in the St James Parish Court that an airport employee, who is on trial for allegedly conspiring to smuggle over 11 kilogrammes of cocaine onto a flight destined for Canada, provided inconsistent statements about her role in the alleged drug smuggling operation.
Indra Waite, a 43-year-old security supervisor, is charged with possession of criminal property and aiding and abetting following allegations that she received money to assist in the conspiracy to place the package on the flight.
She was charged alongside three other individuals, all of whom were freed after their lawyers filed no-case submissions.
During her evidence-in-chief, the police witness, who was assigned to the Narcotics Division at the time, stated that she interviewed Waite on October 29, 2021, and questioned her about what happened at the Sangster International Airport on October 10, that same year.
She stated that she reminded Waite of a conversation they had earlier, in which the accused made certain claims. However, upon conducting her investigations, she found several inconsistencies in the information provided by Waite.
The officer also said that Waite denied any knowledge or involvement in the cocaine being placed on the flight.
There was no further evidence taken at that point because the officer had an emergency and had to leave.
Trial judge Sasha-Marie Smith-Ashley subsequently set the matter for continuation on October 20 and extended Waite’s bail.
Brelanie Reid, who was represented by attorney-at-law Martyn Thomas, is the third defendant in the case to be freed as a result of a no-case submission. Tavon Murray and Romaine Kerr, two former co-defendants, were released earlier this year after similar submissions were made on their behalf.
READ: Airport worker walks free of drug smuggling charges
Murray was freed at the start of the trial on November 16, 2022 after the prosecution elected to drop the conspiracy charge against all of the accused persons. He was charged with conspiracy to export cocaine.
The prosecution’s failure to make a compelling case against Kerr, who was charged with possession of, dealing in, and attempting to export cocaine, led to his release on July 4 of this year.
READ: Case ends against one of three airport employees on drug smuggling charges
The allegations are that on October 10, 2021, the defendants who were former airport employees conspired together to place a bag with 11.4 kilogrammes of cocaine, valued at $88.1 million, on board a Sun Wing flight that was scheduled to depart from the Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay.
The cocaine was seized at the Toronto Pearson International Airport in Canada and one person was arrested in connection with the incident.
Following top-level investigations, Waite and her now former co-defendants were also arrested and charged in relation to the seizure.
