A Venezuelan farmer and a Guyanese boat captain appeared before a San Fernando Magistrate on Friday on allegations of entering this country illegally.

The two were held on a vessel in Moruga on Sunday morning after they allegedly attempted to, illegally, bring in a shipment of dasheen from Venezuela.

The accused, Humberto Manuel Gomez, 55, and Shafraz Nawaz Rafeek, 46, both appeared individually before Magistrate Cherril-Anne Antoine.

They both pleaded guilty to the offence.

Cpl Atiba Williams was the complainant in the two matters.

The court was told that Gomez was a farmer and a fisherman, and had brought the dasheen into the country for trade as he had a wife and three children to feed in Venezuela.

He was represented by attorney Ramraj Harripersad.

After further submissions, Gomez was fined $5,000, or a default of three years of hard labour.

Rafeek, who was unrepresented, was fined $3,000 or a default of nine-months hard labour.