Farmer remanded over $489M ganja bust

A 37-year-old farmer, who was busted with $489 million worth of marijuana at DeVeldt Savannah in the Berbice River, was on Tuesday remanded to prison.
Richard “Richie” Burnett of Wiruni Village, Upper Berbice River, appeared before Magistrate Renita Singh at the New Amsterdam Magistrate’s Court. He denied the charge and was remanded to prison.

It was reported that a Joint Services operation on Friday last along the Berbice River in Region Six, resulted in the discovery of the multimillion-dollar ganja find, along with two shotguns at DeVeldt Savannah.
The narcotics eradication exercise was conducted by officers and ranks from the Guyana Police Force’s Marine Section and Narcotics Branch, along with ranks from the Guyana Defence Force’s Coast Guard.
During the exercise, one marijuana farm, two camps, and two drying areas were located.
The farm measured about four acres, with about 20,000 cannabis plants measuring from six inches to two feet high.
Burnette, who is from Stewartville, West Coast Demerara, and Wiruni, Berbice River, was found on the farm attending to the cannabis plants, and he was arrested.
When the ranks conducted a search on the first camp, a 12-gauge shotgun, loaded with three live cartridges, one Guyana passport, one identification card, and one birth certificate in favour of the farmer who was arrested, were found.
Searches were also conducted on the second camp where another 12-gauge shotgun along with four live twelve-gauge cartridges were found.
The ranks also searched the two drying areas and a quantity of dry cannabis was found with an estimated weight of about 800 pounds.
The estimated weight of the cannabis plants is 400 pounds.
A gasoline plough, several farming tools, and a spray can were also found in the camp. The plants, camps and drying areas, farming tools, and spray cans were all destroyed by fire.
The case will continue on December 6. (G9)