Belgian drug bust: Two GRA officers remain in custody

As local investigators continue to look for answers in relation to the 11.5 tonnes of cocaine found in a container which was shipped from Guyana to Belgium, two employees from the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) remain in custody.

Head of the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU), James Singh told the News Room on Wednesday that the third GRA employee and the broker, were released from custody on Monday last but are mandated to report to the Headquarters daily.

The Belgian Times reported the drug bust as the largest in the world and an estimated street value of €900 million.

The local shipper, Marlon Primo of 701 Cummings Lodge, East Coast Demerara (ECD) and 69 Atlantic Ville, ECD remains in hiding.

Mr Singh said there has been no luck with finding the shipper.

Local investigators had also discovered explosives at a Region Four property during a number of raids that were carried out over the last few days.

Minister of Home Affairs, Robeson Benn on Monday told the News Room that the government has given its European, Belgium and American law enforcement officials the assurance of vigorous investigations here, this is testimony to the risks involved.

The massive load of cocaine left Guyana on September 25 and was opened in Belgium on October 27. The illegal substance was disguised as scrap metal and placed inside a steel container which was in turn packed into a sea container and loaded into a transatlantic vessel.

Local authorities found that the ship stopped in Guadeloupe for a few days.