3 cops remanded for allegedly stealing cocaine from evidence lockup

Three serving members of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) were on Wednesday remanded to prison after appearing before Senior Magistrate Fabayo Azore at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Courts, on a joint larceny charge related to the alleged theft of suspected narcotics from the West Ruimveldt Police Station.
The accused are 26-year-old Constable Grenville Harris of Lot 59, South Vryheid’s Lust East Coast Demerara; 39-year-old Corporal Floyd Pellew of Lot 161, Crane Housing Scheme, West Coast Demerara; and Corporal Latchman Singh of Lot 120, Weldaad, West Bank Demerara.

At the time of the alleged incident, they were all stationed at the West Ruimveldt Police Station Police Station; Singh, however, was attached to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID).
The charge alleges that on March 13, the three stole 400 grams of suspected narcotics that had been secured at the West Ruimveldt Police Station. They were jointly charged, and they were not required to plead.
When the prosecution was invited to respond, they strongly objected to bail. The prosecutor alleged that the accused had obstructed the course of justice and interfered with witnesses, and urged the court to set an example that would deter other officers from engaging in similar misconduct. The court was informed that the three men had removed 400 grams of suspected narcotic from a strongbox at the Police Station. The matter was reported, triggering an internal investigation, and advice was sought from the Director of Public Prosecutions.
During the investigation, Sergeant Johnson observed that the seal to the strong box had been breached and that four parcels of the suspected narcotics were missing. Initially, the narcotics had weighed 4.9 kilograms, but upon discovery, they registered only 4.5 kilograms. The prosecution revealed that CCTV footage captured Corporal Pellew removing the suspected narcotics from the strongbox and handing them to Singh and Harris. The footage allegedly shows Singh and Harris entering the CID room with the bag and later returning it.
Despite these allegations, all three men remain employed with the Guyana Police Force. They have not been suspended, dismissed, or interdicted from duty.
Defense attorney Patrice Henry, who represented both Singh and Pellew, pushed back against the prosecution’s arguments. He said Corporal Singh, police number 24380, has served with the Force for over 16 years and maintained an “unblemished record.” Henry insisted that Singh is not known to the police for any misconduct, and the only reputation he has is one of integrity and service.
Henry also raised questions about the nature of the substance allegedly stolen. He told the court that the Guyana Police Force has previously mistaken common substances like milk and flour for narcotics and that no forensic analysis had been presented to confirm whether the seized material was indeed illegal.
The attorney further rejected the prosecution’s claim that there was a risk of witness tampering, arguing that any potential witnesses would be fellow police officers, who are unlikely to be influenced. He added that all three men had previously been on self-bail during the internal investigation and never attempted to interfere with the case.
Meanwhile, attorney Eusi Anderson, representing Constable Harris, said his client is a law-abiding officer and father of one who has served the Force with distinction. Anderson described the allegations as “whimsical” and stated that Harris was unfamiliar with the charge read in court, which he claimed differed from what was initially put to him. Anderson maintained that the defense was confident in defeating the charge at trial.
Despite the arguments advanced by both attorneys, Magistrate Azore denied bail and remanded the men to prison. The matter was adjourned until May 14 for the disclosure of statements.
In a separate matter, Corporal Singh was also charged with unlawfully assaulting a man named Akeem on August 8, 2024, at the West Ruimveldt Police Station. He pleaded not guilty and was granted bail in the sum of $25,000. That matter was adjourned to May 14.
It was only this month that the Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) launched a formal investigation into the disappearance of a quantity of cocaine that was reportedly being stored at the armory of the Guyana Police Force’s Tactical Services Unit (TSU), located within the Force’s headquarters at Eve Leary, Georgetown.
The matter came to light following multiple reports circulating on social media, and queries raised by press media. In response, the Police Force issued a statement confirming that an internal probe is underway.
While the Police have not disclosed the exact quantity of narcotics unaccounted for, sources suggest that it may amount to several pounds. There are also unconfirmed reports that some of the missing cocaine bricks were replaced with a look-alike substance, a development allegedly discovered during a recent handover at the unit.
The Force has so far remained tight-lipped about the specifics of the investigation, but assured the public that updates will be provided as further details emerge.
Similar incidents occurred in 2016, where eight parcels of cocaine were reported missing following a major drug bust, and in 2017, when several members of the Police Narcotics Branch were under close arrest following the disappearance of close to two kg of cocaine from the Criminal Investigations Department (CID), Police Headquarters, Eve Leary, Georgetown.