Head of SWAT team under close arrest for large quantity of whiskey

Last Updated on Sunday, 31 December 2017, 9:27 by Denis Chabrol

The Commander of the Guyana Police Force’s  Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT ) Unit on Sunday remained under close arrest in connection with the seizure of 30 cases of whiskey in a minibus in which he was travelling.

Berbice Divisional Commander, Assistant Commissioner, Lyndon Alves said an officer was expected later Sunday to travel to Berbice to question the head of the SWAT team, Deputy Superintendent Dookie.

Alves, however, refuted reports that the SWAT commander had escaped from custody. Police sources said the man left the station to obtain a few items before returning.

Police said Dookie was in Berbice although he was not given permission to leave the City. ” The Officer who is based at Police Headquarters was not permitted by his Commanding Officer to leave Georgetown.”

The Guyana Police Force said a Detective Superintendent was probing a report that the SWAT Team Commander was in a minibus Saturday night on the Whim Public Road, Corentyne. Police said the  bus was stopped by a police anti-crime patrol  in which thirty cases of whiskey were found.

Police said there was a discrepancy between the number of bottles that the officer said was in the bus and those that were found. “The Officer and the driver of the minibus were the only occupants and from initial reports the Officer indicated that ten cases of whiskey were in the minibus and he was taking it to be used for ‘a party’. However,the search of the minibus revealed the 30 cases which were seized,” the force said.

The SWAT Commander, who is based at Police Headquarters, was not permitted by his Commanding Officer to leave Georgetown.

It was only two months ago that the current SWAT Unit Commander took over responsibility for that unit after his predecessor was transferred after a quantity of cocaine went missing from the headquarters of the Criminal Investigations Department.