Duo arrested with over 2kg of ganja in Lethem

A man and a woman have been taken into custody following the discovery of more than two kilograms of cannabis at Tabatinga, Lethem, Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) on Wednesday. Based on reports received, ranks of the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU), conducting an operation in Tabatinga, Lethem on Wednesday, intercepted motor vehicle HD 5840, which they searched in the presence of 42-year-old Sherlon Kissoon of Tabatinga, Lethem and unearthed four parcels of cannabis.
Further investigation led to the search of a residence at Tabatinga, Lethem in the presence of Helena Rodrigues, during which 14 parcels of cannabis were unearthed.

The suspects were escorted to the CANU office in Lethem, where the cannabis seized in the motor vehicle was weighed and amounted to 600 grams, while the cannabis found at the premises was weighed and amounted to two kilograms.
These two persons remain in custody, assisting with investigations.
As recent as Tuesday last, CANU reported that it had seized a whopping $311 million worth of narcotics for the month of September, according to information released by that drug enforcement agency. The seized narcotics comprised $294 million, or approximately US$1.4 million, in ganja, and $17 million, or US$82,000, in cocaine.

Most of the seized narcotics were intercepted in Regions Six, Four, and Three, the amounts intercepted therein being 327.50kg of cannabis and 11.23kg of cocaine.
Cannabis continues to be the narcotic most commonly seized by CANU, accounting for 97 per cent of all seizures.
According to the report, 44 per cent of the total quantity of narcotics seized was seized on the roadways;
33 per cent of the total amount of narcotics seized was done in riverine areas; and 16 per cent of the total amount of narcotics seized was done in residential areas. Airport seizures accounted for 3 per cent of the total seizure, with cocaine topping the list there.
Also, 22 persons were arrested in relation to narcotics’ possession for the month of September. Six males and two females were arrested for possession of 11.2306kg of cocaine, while 14 males were arrested for possession of 327.4978kg of cannabis.
The males arrested were between the ages of 18 and 58 years old, and the females were between the ages of 18 and 59 years old.
Of those arrested, 13 individuals were charged separately for possession of narcotics. CANU made out 12 cases for possession of narcotics, consisting of both cocaine and cannabis possession; seven convictions, consisting of one for the possession of cocaine and six for the possession of cannabis, were made out, and 96 cases are pending.