Four feared dead after ganja vessel crashed their boat in Berbice River

Four men are feared dead after a boat with men on a mission transporting ganja crashed into them in the Berbice River Tuesday night. The captain of the ganja boat and three others who were with him have been arrested after fleeing the scene without searching for one of their own men who fell overboard nor for the four men in the other vessel.

The incident occurred at about 18:45h in the vicinity of Friendship Village.

Police headquarters said those missing are Julian Mc Kenzie and Kidman Lindie of Sandhill Village Berbice River and Freeman Denheart and his son Romario Denheart of Heathburn Village, East Bank Berbice.

The men were the occupants of a boat which was proceeding south along the Berbice River when it collided with another vessel proceeding in the opposite direction.

The second vessel was captained by 39-year-old Marvin Kissoon of Sheet Anchor Village, East Canjie Berbice. He was travelling with four occupants.

Kissoon told investigators that as they were travelling along the river, he noticed the boat coming towards him and turned eastward to get out of its path. However, he alleged that the other boat pulled in the same direction resulting in a collision and the boats capsized.

Kissoon said after realizing that the occupants of the other boat did not surface, he and his companions re-entered their boat and fled the scene.

As a result, he was taken into police custody.

His companions – a 20 year-old labourer of Maria Henrietta Village, Berbice River, a 51 year-old labourer of Adelphi Village, Corentyne Berbice and a 23 year -old labourer of No 2 Village, Canje, Berbice – were also arrested.

The men were arrested at Edinburgh Village, East Bank Berbice.

They were found in possession of thirty- two taped parcels of suspected cannabis which when weighed amounted to 36.97 kilograms.

The fifth occupant who resides at Palmyra Village, Corentyne, Berbice is being sought.