Last Updated on Friday, 21 May 2021, 7:20 by Written By Denis Chabrol
Police say 453 kilogrammes have been found aboard a plane that crash-landed on an earthen trail at Orealla, Upper Corentyne River, police said.
“Two male foreign nationals, suspected to be Brazilians, who were in the vicinity were arrested by the Divisional ranks and an initial search of the aircraft revealed a quantity of suspected cocaine,” the Guyana Police Force said.
Police say a thorough search of the aircraft was conducted and a total of 453 packages containing 453 kilograms of suspected cocaine were found.
Other items found aboard included two Global Positioning Systems, one Radio Set, three Mobile Smartphones, two Identification Cards and the aircraft registration documents.
The four-seater Bonanza Beechcraft aircraft has Brazilian registration markings, but authorities are yet to confirm that they are genuine.
The Head of the Customs Anti Narcotics Unit, James Singh believes that the men were possibly heading to a neighbouring Suriname. “Based on the location to Suriname and previous trends I would say Suriname,” Mr. Singh said.
He declined to provide additional details as the operation was ongoing. “he police will take over and continue investigations,” the CANU Head added.
Police said its SWAT Team, GDF and CANU were mobilised and dispatched to the scene from Camp Ayanganna aboard the recently-acquired GDF’s BEL-412Epi helicopter.
In the past, at least two other Beechcraft planes have been found in Guyana suspected of being involved in trafficking cocaine.
Recently, Surinamese and Guyanese anti-drug agents coordinated to intercept 903 kilograms of cocaine at Table Mountain in central Suriname.
A Cuban, who had been arrested at the location, and a Surinamese soldier had been implicated in that cocaine bust.
