Foreign nationals who crash landed at Issano remanded to prison

Two of three foreign nationals who crash landed on a red and white Cessna aircraft at the 9 Miles Airstrip at Issano Region Seven on September 13 was charged on Friday for entering the country illegally.

Police Headquarters in a statement said Juan Ivan Fortool and Manoel Edson Pinheiro Costa appeared at the Vreed-en-Hoop Magistrate’s Court before Magistrate Crystel Lambert and pleaded not guilty to the charge.

The two men were remanded to prison until September 30, 2020.

A third national was injured when the aircraft crash landed and suffered a broken arm. He was on Thursday transported to the Georgetown Public Hospital for treatment and remains under Police guard.

A second aircraft, a blue and white Beechcraft which was discovered some 600 yards away from the 9 Miles Airstrip, was found wrecked with 390 kilograms of cocaine onboard along with the body of 49-year-old Brazilian national, Alessandro Eduardo Petravicies.

Investigators have also established a linkage between the Beechcraft and the Cessna aircraft.

Documents were found on the Beechcraft which belongs to the injured occupant.

The Police Force reported that Google Translator was used to question the men, who claimed they were heading to Suriname with another aircraft when the said aircraft developed mechanical problems.

The men were taken into custody and had their personal belongings seized namely a cellphone; Satellite phone, Identification cards and other items.