Taxi driver charged with possession of AK-47 assault rifles

Last Updated on Thursday, 28 May 2026, 21:03 by Writer

A Goed Fortuin, West Bank Demerara, taxi driver was Thursday arraigned on a charge of illegal possession of ten AK-47 assault rifles, the Guyana Police Force said.

Stephen Raja, 33, of Back Street, Goed Fortuin Village was arrested on Friday, May 22, in connection with the discovery of the firearms.

A New Amsterdam magistrate read the charge to the accused but he was not required to plead.

Police said the man was subsequently remanded to prison after bail was refused.

The matter was adjourned to June 15.

Police said in an earlier statement that the weapons were found on Friday during a police operation on No. 11 Village Public Road, East Berbice.

During the operation, police said they were conducting a stop-and-search exercise along the Berbice River Bridge access road between 1 a.m. and 4:30 a.m. when a black Toyota Corolla Fielder motor car bearing registration number HC 9018 was stopped.

Police said the driver of the vehicle drove away from the ranks escaping eastward.

Acting on information received, ranks later conducted a search along No. 11 Village Public Road, where ten AK-47 rifles were found wrapped in plastic and cloth, police stated.