In the early hours of Thursday, a daring operation by the Guyana Defense Force (GDF) Coast Guard led to the seizure of nearly 100 kilograms of cannabis in the Demerara River.
Around 2:00hrs, three Coast Guard personnel were on routine patrol aboard the Metal Shark vessel when they encountered suspicious activity near the Vreed-en-Hoop Stelling.
As the Coast Guard ranks were navigating the river, they spotted a red and black wooden boat traveling south with two or three occupants on board. Upon noticing the approaching authorities, the boat’s occupants quickly began discarding several bulky parcels overboard. The Coast Guard immediately responded, but the boat continued its course into the channel near the stelling area.
Returning to the location where the parcels had been thrown into the water, the Coast Guard discovered six large salt bags floating. Upon closer inspection, the bags contained numerous smaller, transparent packages filled with leaves, seeds, and stems, all of which appeared to be cannabis.
The officers retrieved the bags and returned to base before re-deploying in a smaller boat to search for the abandoned vessel. They soon located the boat and its outboard engine, which were then brought to the Coast Guard Headquarters at Ruimveldt. Following the discovery, police were notified and arrived to examine the items.
Upon inspection, the six bags were found to contain a total of 20 smaller packages, which, when weighed, amounted to 99.54 kilograms of suspected cannabis. No arrests have been made yet, and investigations into the matter are ongoing as authorities continue to search for the individuals responsible for the smuggling attempt.
