PARAMARIBO, Suriname– The arrest of a 75-year-old grandmother on drug related charges resulted in people here trolling police and calling for her release.
The woman, known as Nankoemarie N., was arrested in this Caribbean community country last month after police raided her home and alleged that she was running a small “cocaine empire”.
The arrest became such a hot topic that the hashtag#FreeGazaNanibegan trending on social media.
Reports indicate police caught a group of teenagers selling crack cocaine in a neighborhood in Kwatta, western Paramaribo. The boysallegedly told police they were selling the narcotics for a woman. One identified the woman as his aunt.
When police raided the woman’s house, they allegedly found a large amount of cocaine, plus proof the boys were selling the drugs at Nankoemarie N’s behest. Sheand the boys were arrested.
TWIST
The case took an unexpected turn, however, when people nicknamed the woman “Gaza Nani” -a play on the Gaza Strip’s terrorism reputation and the woman reportedly being as tough as a terrorist- and started calling for her release.
“Free Gaza Nani, she is so inspiring. Girl Power Female Power! Let her go. She is a well-respected drug dealer who wasn’t selling kilograms, but just a couple of grams here and there so she could buy bread, milk and masala,” one person joked on social media.
Some hinted, seriously, that an old lady didn’t belong in prison and police should go after big drug dealers.Some also explained that Suriname is in sad state when elders have to resort to crime to survivefinancially.
None of thesereports had been confirmed by police or Caribbean Today up to press time.
