Nine males, including three foreigners, were arrested on Tuesday evening following the discovery of two high-powered weapons along with matching ammunition and other prohibited items in Region One (Barima-Waini).
The suspects just before they were flown to the city for further interrogation
According to reports, after receiving information that a gang of armed men was in the Churches Landing Mining Community acting in a suspicious manner and appeared to be a mix of foreign nationals and Guyanese, a party of Policemen from the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) in F Division (Interior locations) and ranks from the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Coast Guard travelled to the Barima River, North West District (NWD), to investigate.
There, they underwent a stake-out for almost 24 hours before intercepting a metal boat with four occupants, including the captain. The vessel was also towing a blue and grey fibre glass boat carrying another five passengers.
The high-powered weapons and other illegal items found in the suspects’ possession
Upon searching the boats, the lawmen unearthed an AR-15 rifle and an AK-47 rifle, along with one magazine each, and a total of 19 live rounds of ammunition, one bullet proof vest and 1.5 kilograms of cannabis.
The discovery led to the arrests of nine suspects, three of whom are foreign nationals from Cuba, Jamaica and Venezuela. They are 53-year-old Delroy Mairs, a mason of Albouystown, Georgetown and of Jamaica; 33-year-old Rafael Ramon, a Venezuelan citizen; and 25-year-old Samuel Alvaroz from Cuba.
Meanwhile, the Guyanese suspects have been identified as 19-year-old Junior Jack, a sailor of Mabaruma, NWD; 38-year-old Donstant Rodrigues, a boat captain of Mora, Moruca, NWD; 49-year-old Shawn Phang, a miner of Port Kaituma, NWD; 44 year-old Dexter Valensuela, also a boat captain of Crane, West Coast Demerara (WCD); 48-year-old Corwin Griffith, another boat captain of Grove, East Bank Demerara (EBD), and 62-year-old Carrigon Khan, a boat captain of Pomeroon River.
The suspects were escorted from Mabaruma to the Police Criminal Investigation Department Headquarters, Eve Leary, Georgetown, via air on Wednesday afternoon for further investigations.
According to the Police Force, these arrests are significant since there were reports of piracy a few weeks ago in the Waini River area, several miles from the Police Floating Base MV Tamakay.
