Police find $489M worth of marijuana, shotguns at DeVeldt

Marijuana with a street value of $489 million along with two shotguns were seized by the police on Friday during a joint-services narcotics eradication exercise.

According to a statement from Police Headquarters, between 05:00hrs and 14:00hrs, a joint-services operation with officers and ranks from the Guyana Police Force’s  Marine Section and Narcotics Branch, along with ranks from the GDF Coast Guard, conducted a narcotics eradication exercise at DeVeldt Savannah in the Berbice River.

During the exercise, one marijuana farm, two camps and two drying areas were located.

Police said the farm measured about four acres, with about 20,000 cannabis plants measuring from six inches to two feet in high.

A 37-year-old farmer of Stewartville, West Coast Demerara and Wiruni Berbice River, was found on the farm attending to the cannabis plants, and he was arrested.

When the ranks conducted a search on the first camp, a suspected twelve (12) gauge shotgun, loaded with three live cartridges, one Guyana Passport, one Identification card and one birth certificate in favour of the farmer who was arrested, were found.

Searches were also conducted on the second camp where a suspected twelve (12) gauge shotgun along with four (4) live twelve gauge cartridges were found.

Searches were then conducted on the two drying areas and a quantity of dry cannabis was found with an estimated weight of about 800 pounds.  The estimated weight for the cannabis plants is 400 pounds. The total street value of the cannabis found during the operation is $489,000,000.

A gasoline plow, several farming tools and spray can was also found in the camp. The plants, camps and drying areas, farming tools and spray can were all destroyed by fire.

The farmer was escorted to Central Police Station where he was placed into custody and the suspected firearms and ammunition lodged.