A 40-year-old Rio Claro woman who was charged with Possession of Cannabis for the Purpose of Trafficking was remanded into custody yesterday pending tracing of her criminal record.

According to a statement from the TTPS MICHELLE GONZALES, of Dades Reserve Road, Dades Road, Rio Claro, pleaded not guilty to the offence when she appeared virtually before the Rio Claro Magistrates’ Court.

The matter was heard by Magistrate Ava Vandenberg-Bailey.

“GONZALES was charged on December 28th by PC Parris of the Rio Claro Criminal Investigations Department (CID) following the execution of a search warrant for dangerous drugs at her residence. During the search of the premises, CID detectives allegedly found eight packets of cocaine weighing 154 grammes, TT$10,000 and two electronic scales.”

The narcotics have an estimated street value of $71,533. Meanwhile, CID detectives have obtained an arrest warrant for a man who also resides at the house who managed to escape from law enforcement personnel during the raid.

A search remains underway for the suspect.

In a separate incident held this morning in the Eastern Division, Biche Police Officers executed several raids in the Biche, Plum Mitan and Charuma areas. During one of the exercises, police officers found a homemade shotgun along O’Brien Trace, Newlands Village, Biche, 20 feet off the northern side of the roadway in a bushy area. PC Tom is continuing investigations into the find.