Joint Services’ presence high at border to counter gang attacks – Commander

Police Commander of Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni), Superintendent Dion Moore, has said, during an episode of the weekly radio programme “Police and You”, that his division has received reports that Guyanese vessels are being attacked by members of the Sindicato and guerrilla gangs along the Cuyuni River in Region Seven.
After the activities of these gangs were made known to the Police in Region Seven, patrols comprising members of both the Guyana Police Force (GPF) and the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) are said to have been increased along Eteringbang and Mokepai, among other areas, in an attempt to counter the recurrence of these attacks.
The Commander also noted that members of these gangs are not known to the Police, but he revealed that while joint services’ ranks are patrolling the areas, photographs taken for evidence of the existence of these gangs show that the gang members are usually armed, and would been seen in a ready-to-attack position.
“…you would see that those men are armed with rifles and handguns, and would always be in a standing ready position,” the Commander has said.
Members of these gangs have set up makeshift tents that allow them to easily pack up and relocate to higher ground when the water level of the river rises.
This is not the first time these gangs have been spotted. “Earlier in the year, we (had) received reports that some of the members of the Sindicato and guerrilla gangs…would operate out from Venezuela’s shores”, he stated.
These gang members have reportedly stopped Guyanese vessels traversing the Cuyuni River and demanded payment; and Commander Moore has said there are instances in which occupants of vessels would receive threats.
“They would stop Guyanese vessels and demand payment from them…in some instances they threaten them as well”, he said.
In September 2020, the Sindicato gang had reportedly placed joint services’ ranks under fire while the latter were patrolling the Cuyuni River. According to the GDF, joint services’ ranks were patrolling near the Guyana-Venezuela border when they came under fire from the Venezuela shore. It was suspected that the attack was launched by the Sindicato gang.
Additionally, several officers attached to the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) had come under fire while conducting inspections along the Cuyuni River. It was suspected that the shots were fired by the notorious Sindicato gang from Venezuela.
Fortunately, in both of these instances of unexpected attack, no one was hurt.
Commander Moore has disclosed that such incidents have been occurring for some time now.
Guyana’s border with Venezuela is more than 1000 kilometres long, and patrols are conducted on a routine basis.