Accused in $1m cashew nut theft granted bail

A central businessman is one of two men charged with stealing a $1 million cashew nut consignment from the Port-of-Spain port who were granted bail yesterday in the amount of $200,000 each. Anthony Singh, 34, a businessman of Greenvale Gardens, Endeavour, Chaguanas and Claudius Marcano, 28, a truck driver of Samson Street, Santa Cruz, were not called upon to plead when they appeared before Magistrate Gloria Jasmath in the Port-of-Spain 11th Court. Singh, who operates two auto garages, was also charged with harbouring the stolen shipment at his business place, Carworks Automotive Limited at Southern Main Road, Edinburgh Village, Chaguanas.

Marcano was charged separately with the removal of the shipment from the port on December 7 without Customs and Excise clearance contrary to the Customs Act. They are accused of removing a 20 foot container with 699 boxes of nuts imported from southern India from the Wrightson Road, Port-of-Spain port complex on December 7. The unstuffed container was later discovered abandoned by investigators on December 10, at a location in Pt Lisas. The shipment was allegedly recovered by officers of the Port-of-Spain CID led by ASP Ajith Persad.

At yesterday’s hearing, the shipment was produced before the court on two large trucks which were guarded by several heavily-armed Customs and Excise officers. After Jasmath’s inspection of the stolen goods, she ordered that the shipment be returned to the consignee, Regal Products Limited, because of its perishable nature. Singh was represented by attorney Mark Seepersad, while prosecutor Cpl Edward Edmund appeared for the State. The charges were laid by Cpl Denny of the Port-of-Spain CID. The matter was adjourned to January 16, next year.

Source: http://www.guardian.co.tt/news/2011/12/20/accused-1m-cashew-nut-theft-granted-bail