By Leroy Smith
The relationship between the Police Narcotics Branch and the administration of the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) is one, lacking mutual cooperation.
According to a senior source at the country’s main port of entry who asked not be named in this report, the Airport’s administration has not been receiving the cooperation of the Narcotics Branch of the Force whenever that unit pops up at the facility to conduct its operations.
The News Room was informed that unlike the full cooperation, given to the airport’s authority by the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) the same cannot be said for the police, who at all times withhold information from the administration.
On Thursday the Police Narcotics Unit carried out an operation at the Airport where they managed to bust a shipment of 88.2 kilograms of cocaine which was concealed in a shipment of frozen fish.
We were told by the police that a man from the West Coast Demerara (WCD) who has been under surveillance for some time now by the police, has been arrested in connection with that bust.
The CJIA Source explained that whenever the law enforcement agencies show up to carry out any operation at the airport they receive the full cooperation of the staff of the airport. When it comes to the sharing of information and working together on these operations, which are geared to nab shipments of drugs and other illegal substances being shipped through the airport, CANU and the airport work very closely and the information channels on both sides are wide open.
However, when it comes to the police the same cannot be said, the source added as it was explained News Room that in the case of the drug bust on Tuesday, the airport administration knew nothing of the police operation and the subsequent find until it was published in the media almost twelve hours after.
According to the official, the police was asked to provide the airport’s authority with an update on the bust and they have not done so.
