The Netherlands-bound cocaine intercepted at CJIA

Last Updated on Sunday, 21 September 2025, 10:31 by Writer

Almost 70 kilogrammes of cocaine destined to be smuggled to The Netherlands on a KLM Airlines flight were seized at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA), Timehri on Saturday, the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) said.

CANU said its agents, acting on information received, conducted an operation at the CJIA where they intercepted 53 parcels of cocaine which were “intended to be placed on a KLM flight destined for Amsterdam”, the capital of The Netherlands.

The weight of the narcotic was 66.8 kilogrammes.

Demerara Waves Online News was informed that an employee of an airport handling service was detained as part of the investigations.

Home Affairs Minister Oneidge Walrond said on Facebook that the drug bust was “another major win against trans-border crime.”

“This is about more than an arrest — it’s about protecting our borders, safeguarding our people, and defending Guyana’s good name on the international stage,” she said.

Ms Walrond thanked “our brave men and women in uniform whose tireless work keeps our nation safe and proud.”

After pulling out from Guyana decades ago, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines resumed flights here in early June, 2025.