Gya: Guyanese couple busted for laundering coke money

Drugs smuggled into the US in cans of ghee; US$10M in laundered money carried back to Guyana in luggage; and a Queens house under surveillance, are just some of the revelations in affidavits that led to the smashing of a multi-million dollar Guyanese drug ring last month.

The evidence gathered in the investigation which began back in 2002 will likely lead to extradition requests for local kingpins.

The primary affidavit was filed by a US drug enforcement officer in support of a request for a warrant to search the New York home of a Guyanese couple, Sabrina and Arnold Budhram.

Affidavits were also filed for the arrests of 11 other individuals. The Budhrams were subsequently charged on April 5 with laundering narcotics proceeds from cocaine smuggling for numerous Guyanese drug organisations, including one run by her brother who is identified. They were arraigned and now await trial.

The Budhrams are alleged to have been at the hub of the ring by collecting the proceeds of drugs sold in the US and dispatching these to Guyana under the cover of a fictitious textile company.

The couple has links to a family in Guyana that runs an auto sales business.

The affidavit names this family as "The ****** Organisation" and states that it smuggled approximately $10 million in drug proceeds since 1986 disguising the funds as money belonging to Sabena Manufacturing & Sales Inc said to be located at the Budhrams' home address.