Agents of the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) on Wednesday intercepted 80 kilograms of ganja during an operation at Goat Dam, Line Path Skeldon, Corriverton Corentyne, Berbice. 
Based on information received, at about 17:30h on the day in question, a team from CANU travelled to the area after receiving information, with the expectation of looking for persons transporting several bags of ganja.
Two hours later, the agents noticed three individuals within a cane field walking towards them, and, as such, the officers emerged from their position, identified themselves, and shouted to the said individuals not to move.
The individuals reportedly dropped the bags they were carrying and escaped through the cane field.
“The officers did not pursue the individuals due to a canal separating the dam from the cane field. The officers searched the area where the men were seen, and noticed ten (10) bulky parcels wrapped in transparent plastic,” CANU stated in a release to the media.
Upon examining the parcels, the ganja was unearthed. The parcels were removed, and, when subsequently weighed, amounted to 80 kilograms of ganja, which has a street value of $10 million.
The operation, CANU noted, has been ongoing for the past four days, and members of the team that participated in the operation have been commended for the patience and professionalism they displayed. It is suspected that the ganja was heading to Suriname for resale.
The Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit, along with the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) and the Guyana Police Force, continues to carry out operations to stem the flow of narcotics across Guyana’s borders, and also to work with Community Police Groups in various communities to ensure that “drug blocks” do not become established.
Less than two weeks ago, a green and white Beechcraft Bonanza plane, carrying registration number PT-SRR, crash-landed in the Amerindian community of Orealla on the Corentyne River in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) after encountering difficulties. On board were 450 kilograms of cocaine.
At the time of the crash, two Brazilian nationals were on board the aircraft, one being the pilot. The men reportedly told residents of Orealla that they were travelling and visiting several areas to do sport fishing and other leisure activities, but had encountered difficulties with the weather. They further claimed that the aircraft was almost out of fuel, and they had gotten lost after circling the area for some time.
However, the men were subsequently accosted by Police ranks, who questioned them about their presence in the area. They then took the ranks to the aircraft, where a search conducted unearthed a quantity of cocaine. With a street value of about US$30,000 per kilogram, the estimated cost of the drug is $2.9 billion.
Shortly after the discovery, ranks of the Disciplined Forces and agents of the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) were mobilised and dispatched to the scene from Camp Ayanganna via the GDF’s Bell 412 helicopter.
CANU has reported that from all indications and information received, the aircraft was heading to Suriname. However, in addition to the 450 bricks of cocaine which each weighed one kilogram, two Global Positioning Systems, one radio set, three smartphones, two identification cards, and the registration documents of the aircraft were found at the crash site. The aircraft, according to CANU officials, was reportedly heading to Suriname.
The two men, Salim Nobrega De Alimser, 60, and Andre Pereira, 30, were arraigned before Magistrate Alex Moore for trafficking in narcotics and illegal entry, and have been remanded to prison until June 22, 2021.
