A 29-year-old miner of Old Scheme Tuschen, East Bank Essequibo, found himself in custoday at the Bartica Stelling in Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) after he was caught with an illegal firearm and matching ammunition.
The firearm that was found by police
Reports indicate that the man was a passenger aboard a speedboat bound for Parika at the time of his arrest on Friday.
Based on information received, Police went to the stelling and upon his apprehension, the man allegedly placed an object he had been carrying into a nearby bag, subsequently tossing it overboard.
He was taken into custody and transported to the Bartica Police Station. During initial questioning, the man claimed that bag contained marijuana and it submerged due to the presence of a “brick” within it.
However, subsequent interrogation over the weekend led to the man confessing that the contents of the bag were not narcotics but rather a firearm, which he had disposed of into the river.
He claimed to have purchased the firearm in Venezuela some time ago and concealed it during a passage through Puruni. Additionally, he revealed a previous altercation involving an individual (name withheld) who had discharged rounds at his mother’s residence on the Essequibo Coast, Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) prompting his intent to retaliate.
Following his confession, police escorted the man back to Puruni to pinpoint the location where he retrieved the firearm. Subsequently, with the aid of a diver, law enforcement managed to recover the firearm, contained within a black bag, from the river at the Bartica Stelling around 22:00 h on Friday. The gun was a 9mm Luger, with five matching rounds.
The man remains in custody, pending charges. (G9)
