A self-propelled, semi-submersible vessel, commonly called a narco-submarine, was intercepted off the coast of Guyana and 2,370 kilogrammes (or about 5,225 pounds) of cocaine was found inside.
The vessel was seized on March 21, about 150 miles off the coast of Guyana.
A release from the United States (US) Embassy in Georgetown on Thursday noted that the seizure of the vessel came as a result of collaboration among the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) Georgetown Country Office, the Joint Interagency Task Force South (JIATFS), Guyana Customs Anti-Narcotic Unit (CANU), and the United States Coast Guard (USCG).
The US Navy’s guided missile cruiser, the USS Leyte Gulf, interdicted the vessel, resulting in the arrest of four individuals and seizure of the cocaine.
It was noted that this landmark seizure will be prosecuted in the US.
“The U.S. government remains committed to its support of the Government of Guyana and its Caribbean partners in developing ever-greater capacity to disrupt illicit trafficking and transnational crime to advance citizen security,” the release further stated.
In 2014, a similar ‘cocaine submarine’ was found in a secluded spot in the Waini area, North West District. After being kept at the GDF Coast Guard Ruimveldt location for a year, the vessel was sent to the United States for additional forensic tests to be conducted.
At the time of the discovery, CANU said the boat was discovered about two miles in during a search of one of the creeks branching off from the Waini. Also found was a camp consisting of three structures for accommodation, a workshop and power generation. These semi-submersible vessels are built mostly to transport drugs.
Sorry Guyana, you can’t prosecute these BIG BOYS… you didn’t arrest them because you lacked the capacity
to patrol so far off shore.