Venezuelan duo busted with US$2.6M in cocaine charged, remanded to prison

Venezuelan nationals, 32-year-old Jose Felix Lindore and 33-year-old Javier Perez who were onboard a vessel carrying US$2.6 million worth of cocaine were on Tuesday remanded to prison.
They appeared before Magistrate George at the Leonora Magistrate’s Court where they pleaded not guilty to the charge which stated that on Friday, March 29 at Vergenoegen, West Coast Demerara (WCD) they had 536 kilograms (1181 lbs.) of cocaine.
The Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) stated that a joint operation between the Unit and the Guyana Defence Force’s Coast Guard has led to the interception of a vessel containing 536 kilograms (1181 lbs.) of cocaine at Vergenoegen, West Coast Demerara (WCD).
It was reported that on the day in question, the two entities conducted a joint operation during which intercepted a go-fast vessel. At the time, there were two occupants on board.
A search of the vessel led to the discovery of a large quantity of narcotics along with a quantity of fuel and other items. The narcotics were tested for cocaine and weighed.

CANU stated that the street value in Guyana for the haul is estimated at US$2.6 million. However, had the cocaine been transhipped to its intended destination, it would have had an estimated street value of €20 million.
The men are expected to return to court on May 10, 2024.
Just over one week ago, CANU Director James Singh stated that the drug enforcement unit seized a startling 1.1 tonnes of marijuana and over 75 kilograms of cocaine from various operations across the country.
He noted that a majority of the marijuana is from the Andean region of South America which includes Colombia, Ecuador, and Venezuela.
“We have over 75 kilos of cocaine and close to 1.1 tonnes of marijuana. Of the marijuana, about 90 per cent is foreign marijuana that came from the Andean region, known as “Creepy”,” Singh informed.
In contrast, CANU had seized approximately 1363.28 kilograms of narcotics throughout 2023, and cannabis sativa (ganja) accounted for 94 per cent of that total. From 18 operations conducted, 75.17 kilograms of cocaine were seized.