Ranks of the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) on Tuesday arrested two men after a quantity of marijuana and a firearm with ammunition were found in a boat in which they were passengers.
The discovery was made along the Manarabisi Canal in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), and CANU has said that when its officers intercepted the speed boat, it was occupied by two adult males and a minor. The boat was searched in the presence of the occupants, and several parcels of suspected narcotics and one shotgun with 16 live cartridges were found therein.
The two adult suspects – Suraj Singh, 30, of Lot 69 Section B, No.72 Village, Corentyne; and Mourice Vansluytman, 55, of Lot 18 Section A, No.70 Village, Corentyne – were arrested and escorted to CANU Headquarters, along with the suspected narcotics and shotgun with ammunition. The narcotics tested positive for cannabis, and had a total weight of 126 kilogrammes (277.7 pounds). Investigations are ongoing.
The narcotics and firearm found in the suspects’ boat
According to CANU, this operation is part of its efforts to reduce the flow of narcotics being trafficked out of the Berbice river district to Suriname. The CANU officers have carried out surveillance activities in several main drainage canals in the Corentyne district in an operation that lasted for a period of two days. Only last weekend, CANU agents arrested three persons, including a teenager, after they were busted with more than 200 pounds of marijuana during separate operations.
On Friday, the officers conducted an operation at Young and Restless Street in De Kinderen, West Coast Demerara (WCD), where they intercepted a young man carrying a haversack. A search of the haversack revealed several transparent Ziplock bags containing suspected cannabis. Consequently, 19-year-old Errol Latchoo of Meter-Meer-Zorg, WCD was arrested and escorted to CANU Headquarters, where the narcotics tested positive for cannabis with a total weight of 118 grams.
Meanwhile, another group of CANU ranks on Friday intercepted Oneil Lampkin, 31, of Sheet Anchor, East Canje, Berbice under the Canje Bridge with a small quantity of cannabis in his possession. The suspect was then escorted to his home, where the officers searched the property and the surrounding bushes and unearthed two large parcels containing cannabis hidden in the bushes. Lampkin was arrested and taken to CANU Headquarters, along with the narcotics – all of which weighed about 47.5 kilograms.
On Saturday, CANU ranks intercepted Route 50 mini bus BXX 6792 on the Beterverwagting Railway Embankment, East Coast Demerara, and a search of the vehicle unearthed several parcels of cannabis. The driver, 58-year-old Lal Bahadur Byjoo of Plantation Hope, Bath Settlement, West Coast Berbice (WCB), who was the lone occupant of the bus, was arrested, and the cannabis found weighed 54.2 kilogrammes. Investigations are ongoing. (G8)
