Three men were arraigned on Tuesday on drug and weapons charges following their arrests on June 17.

Samuel Cooper, 23, Byron Cooper, 34, both of Cooper’s Town, Abaco, and John Saunders, 26, of McClean’s Town, pleaded not guilty to two counts of possession of an unlicensed firearm, two counts of possession of ammunition and one count of drug possession with intent to supply at their arraignment before Magistrate Samuel McKinney.

Officers from the Drug Enforcement Unit were conducting an operation in McClean’s Town when they allegedly saw three men exit a vessel and get into a white van. The officers pursued the vehicle, and the driver allegedly tossed a bag from the vehicle during the chase.

After the officers caught up with the suspects, they took them back to the area where the bag was thrown and searched it in their presence. The officers allegedly found a 9mm Ruger pistol, serial number 321-65987, four rounds of ammunition, a .45mm pistol with nine rounds of .45mm ammunition along with five bricks of cocaine.

The defendants denied possession of the contraband and were each granted $9,500 bail for the firearms case and $9,500 for the drugs case.

They are expected to go to trial on September 1, 2022.

Carlson Shurland, QC, represented the accused, and Inspector Timothy Bain prosecuted.

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