CANU opens fresh probe into German drug bust

The Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) has launched a new investigation into the huge cocaine bust found in a shipment of rice in Germany in August this year.

The drugs were discovered after a reported tip-off led police in Hamburg, Germany to seize 1.5 tonnes of cocaine in the cargo ship container from Guyana.

It has a street value of €300 million.

Head of CANU, James Singh said since he took up office last month, he has ordered a new local investigation into the cocaine bust.

“We are in the process of getting the images from GRA – they are sorting out the technical issues,” Mr Singh stated.

Previously, CANU stated that after extensive investigation, it found no conclusive evidence which suggested that the cocaine was loaded onto the container in Guyana.

Detectives, however, unearthed loopholes and irregularities regarding the local handling of the shipment.

The shipment left Guyana between May 25-26 and arrived in Caucedo, Dominican Republic on June 7, where the 12 containers were reportedly offloaded and remained in –transit for a total of six days.

The containers were then re-loaded onto another vessel and set sail; the vessel arrived in Hamburg, Germany on June 27 and discharged the said 12 containers the following day.

The bust was reported as one of the largest quantities ever seized in the northern German port city. The shipment was initially intended for export to a company in Poland.