Venezuelan nationals nabbed following piracy attack on Guyanese fishermen

– attempted to flee with stolen fishing boat, engines

An excellent collaboration between ranks of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) and the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Coast Guard has led to the arrest of three armed Venezuelan nationals suspected to be pirates in rough waters off the coast of Guyana.

Commander for Regional Division #1, Senior Superintendent Himnauth Sawh, said the Police and Coast Guard ranks were alerted to an alleged pirate attack in an area at Waini Point, North West District (NWD).
Sawh said the ranks departed in a Coast Guard vessel in pursuit of the suspected pirates and managed to intercept them in rough waters as they failed to flee towards the Venezuelan border with the boat and outboard engines they allegedly stole.
Police stated that the alleged piracy attack occurred about 01:45h on Tuesday at Waini Point, with the suspects armed with guns, bows, and arrows.
“Enquiries disclosed that on the date and time mentioned, two Guyanese fishermen were asleep on the vessel which was moored at Waini Point, North West District. They alleged that they were awoken by three suspects, two pointing long guns at them. The suspects were all wearing flashlights on their foreheads,” the Police in a release stated.

The victims told investigators that the alleged pirates spoke to them in a foreign language (believed to be Spanish). The suspects ordered them off the fibreglass boat that was being powered by two Yamaha outboard engines.
The suspects then took control of the fishing boat and its contents and fled toward the Venezuelan border.
The two victims, a 24-year-old and a teenager, managed to alert another nearby fishing vessel, which assisted them. They immediately contacted their boss, a 36-year-old businessman.

The matter was subsequently reported to the Police at Morawhanna Police Station.
As a result, Police and Coast Guard ranks swiftly proceeded to an area called Crab Dog area, where they observed and attempted to intercept the stolen fibreglass boat with the suspects inside.
Upon seeing the Police, however, the men, all of whom are Venezuelans, jumped overboard, but were eventually apprehended.

The boat was searched during which two single-barrel shotguns, one live 5.56 round of ammunition, two arrows and one bow were found hidden in the boat.
The suspects are presently in custody, assisting with the ongoing investigation.