Guyanese-Venezuelan boat captain allegedly abducted along Cuyuni River

A 66-year-old Guyanese-born boat captain of San Martin, Venezuela, has been missing for several days and it is suspected that he has been abducted by members of the Venezuelan Sindicato gang.

Frederick Pollard, who hails from Bartica, Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) but has been living on the other side of the border for some time now, was last heard from on the morning of August 24, when he telephoned his son to say he was returning from Ekereku Backdam along the Cuyuni River with a porter onboard.
Pollard never returned and remains missing to date.
The son had reportedly told the investigators that he subsequently received a phone call from an unknown individual who claimed that his father is being held captive by the Sindicato gang. Pollard’s nephew, Ron Ghanie, told this publication that the boat captain was familiar with his suspected captors since he plied the route regularly and would often encounter the gang.
“He knows these people, because usually when he comes, he would talk and say, well, they require you to stop and give them something, whatever you’re transporting, whatever they want…Like money or ration or whatever they’re transporting and he said he doesn’t have time with them anymore because they know him…,” the nephew related.
“He does buy fuel, he comes down to Bartica, buys fuel, he’s a good captain. This [businessman] trusts him to carry out the boat, the metal boat, because he knows the falls and so on properly. He’d come down to Devil Hole, most of the time they’d go there, transport the fuel from there and they’d go up from Devil Hole up that side. I don’t know if he had a previous quarrel with them before now, or it was never said,” the nephew further disclosed.
The porter, who was onboard with Pollard, was reportedly freed. The relative noted that Pollard, who is bilingual and holds dual citizenship, often traveled along the border areas, making his disappearance even more troubling for the family.
In the meantime, Ghanie has been desperately trying to reach his uncle’s phone, but all calls have gone unanswered.
Ghanie said more information surrounding what exactly transpired remains limited but the family is nonetheless praying for the man’s safe return.
The Guyana Police Force (GPF) and the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) have launched an investigation into the alleged abduction.