Guyanese arrested in Suriname with cigars

Last Updated on Wednesday, 24 December 2025, 15:06 by Writer

A Guyanese man was arrested on Tuesday in Nickerie, Suriname after police there found boxes of cigars in a car in which they were travelling, the Suriname Police Corps said Wednesday.

The Corps said the man was nabbed as a result of heightened security measures by a special police unit from the West Region, assisted by the West Regional Assistance Team (RBTW) aimed at combating cross-border crime.

During that surveillance, a vehicle was stopped and checked at approximately 7:30 p.m. on Walidien Ishaakweg in the Corantijnpolder area of ​​the Nickerie district.

Inside the vehicle were taxi driver HA, 40 years old, and two passengers, SD, 52 years old and AM, 48 years old, who are a married couple from Guyana. Surinamese police only release suspects’ initials.

“A search of the vehicle revealed a sealed cardboard box on the back seat, which later turned out to belong to SD. Further investigation revealed that five wooden boxes, each containing cigars, were found and confiscated. The suspect told police that he had brought the box from Guyana at the request of a third party and did not know its contents,” the Suriname Police Korps said.

Police said because it was suspected that the suspect had violated the Anti-Smuggling Act and the Economic Offences Act, SD was arrested.

He was then taken to the police station for arraignment and, after consultation with the Public Prosecution Service, remanded in custody pending the investigation.

Further investigation has been transferred to the West Region Detective Department.