GRA scanner image of suspected cocaine-laden container not recoverable

Last Updated on Friday, 13 November 2020, 22:55 by Denis Chabrol

The Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) has been unable to recover the scanner image of a shipping container that was suspected to have been laden with 11.5 tons of cocaine, the Head of the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU), James Singh said Friday night.

“Image can’t be recovered,” he said, adding that efforts by personnel other than those from China and Guyana have turned up empty-handed. Asked what is the next step, Mr. Singh said his agents would be relying on the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to unearth more information.

The CANU Chief also hoped that the shipper, Marlon Primo, would be arrested or would surrender so the he could be questioned about the world’s biggest cocaine bust in Antwerp, Belgium on November 5, 2020.

Soon after the drug bust, the GRA had said that the image of the container when it was scanned on September 25, 2020. was deleted and that efforts had begun to recover it from the backup.

CANU,  according to Mr. Singh, has released everyone from custody because the time has elapsed.

In all, five containers of supposed scrap metal had been shipped by Primo’s entity. The containers had transited the French Caribbean department of Guadeloupe on September 28 before they had left on October 3, 2020.

When Belgian authorities opened the shipping container, they found a closely concealed steel case inside. On entering the container Belgian police and customs had found the cocaine stashed in the false container.