Pepper sauce, furniture probes intensifying
Most of the cocaine being exported from Guyana is likely coming from Venezuela via the Pomeroon, the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) says and the nexus between that trade and gun-running is increasingly clear, sources say.
Inderpaul Doodnauth
In the wake of three large busts in Canada, the US and the US Virgin Islands of cocaine-filled shipments which originated from Guyana, questions have been raised about where the drugs are coming from and about the repackaging operations here.
CANU sources tell Stabroek News that around 60% of the cocaine that enters Guyana comes from Vene-zuela and transits through the Pomeroon. There is a lot of unmonitored boat traffic between Guyana and Venezuela which also accommodates gun-running. Drug trafficking, transport of guns and smuggling of fuel are intertwined in these areas and complement each other.
Orlando Watson
A portion of the drugs that enters the country from Venezuela goes farther east to Suriname by go-fast boats and there is an easy convertibility between the drug and gun-smuggling trades. For instance, in Suriname the going rate today for two Chinese-made AK-47s is a kilo of cocaine.
Questions linger over how and where the exporters in Guyana are packaging their drugs in these big shipments.
On December 8, officers found 276 kilos of high-quality cocaine at the Port of Saint John, New Brunswick, aboard a ship, Tropic Canada.
Reginald Rodrigues
The Toronto Star reported investigators as saying that the vessel in New Brunswick was confirmed to have been carrying 77-79 per cent pure cocaine, which was found inside the cardboard dividers of boxes of hot sauce. They removed all but two kilos of the cocaine and performed a controlled delivery of the container to its original destination in Etobicoke, Ontario. It was received by the owner of the company, Mahendrapaul Doodnauth, who unloaded the boxes at a rented storage facility on Rexdale Boulevard in Toronto. As a result, Doodnauth, of Toronto, was charged with importing cocaine, conspiracy to import cocaine and possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking.
A second major drug shipment was traced back to Guyana after US federal agents on December 24 seized 100 kilos of cocaine found inside pepper sauce cartons aboard a ship in St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands. The US agents had been tipped off by Canada.
Nymrod Singh
Then on the heels of two major pepper sauce busts, customs authorities at the Port of Miami, on December 29 acting on a tip off unearthed 373 pounds of cocaine hidden in furniture aboard a vessel, whose last stop was in Georgetown.
CANU sources yesterday said that both investigations are making headway. In relation to the pepper sauce shipments, a significant amount of information has been exchanged with Canada’s Royal Canadian Mounted Police and CANU is preparing to reel in more suspects. One of the suspects that CANU issued a bulletin for, Indarpaul Doodnauth, made himself available to the agency for questioning. Doodnauth, an East Coast-based businessman is the brother of Mahendrapaul Doodnauth, the man held by Canadian authorities in connection with both shipments of the pepper sauce cocaine. Canada is proceeding with its investigation and staying in touch with local law enforcement agencies.
Another man sought by CANU, Reginald Rodrigues, who was thought to be the shipper of the pepper consignment seized in Canada went underground after the bust became public and was able to evade an attempt to arrest him here. It is believed he has since fled to Suriname via the backtrack.
Another man wanted for questioning in relation to the pepper sauce, Orlando Watson has been in touch with the authorities here but is yet to turn himself in. He is thought to be connected to the second shipment. CANU sources say they are actively seeking two other businessmen who participated in the pepper sauce cocaine shipment and based on information from their lawyer they may turn themselves in for questioning. The two are associated with a business in Georgetown.
CANU sources say that the pepper sauce shipments were financed by a coterie of shady characters and persons with criminal antecedents who were looking to make a whopping profit from their Christmas operation. With the crushing of the operation some of the suspects are not only being sought by CANU but also by their financiers.
A suspect in the shipment of the cocaine furniture to Miami, Nymrod Singh, was nabbed in Bartica on Saturday after his photograph appeared in the newspapers. He spent his second day in custody yesterday and sources say he is saying that an acquaintance asked him to ship the furniture to Miami.
The furniture was allegedly picked up by Singh on November 1 and next appeared containerized on November 25 at a city wharf for loading onto the MV Rio Para.
This bust involved 194 packages valued at US$5.5M which was concealed in 72 pieces of furniture packed into the container.
According to NBC6.NET, the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Officers inspecting the containers at the Miami seaport were alerted by a CBP K-9 to a specific container loaded with furniture.
The officers, attached to the Anti-Terrorism Contra-band Enforcement Team, proceeded to examine the furniture and discovered three packages concealed within one of the pieces of furniture. One of the packages was tested by the officers and the substance was positive for cocaine.
More packages of the drugs were discovered in 71 other pieces of furniture.
According to the Canadian press, the pepper sauce busts are part of a major anti-narcotics initiative dubbed “Project Falcon,” which sought to identify the sources of the criminal network that transported cocaine to street gang members and drug abusers in the Durham region.
The local investigations have also unearthed weaknesses in customs operations which enable the illicit shipments.
In one of the pepper shipments a fake Taxpayer Identification Number was used and the name of a non-existent company provided. Documents for the second pepper shipment appeared to be a copy of that provided for the first.
In relation to the furniture shipment, it was discovered that containers are being packed and sealed at locations where there isn’t adequate inspection. These containers are then taken to the wharves and shipped without any further checks of their cargo.
The people at CANU seems to know what they are talking about,
they seems to be “quite Sure” that 60% of the cocain is coming
from Venezuela, Chinese made AK-47 and Fuel.
My question is how long the authorities at CANU know that
drugs, guns and fuel is coming from that country and what
you did or did not do, and WHY Mr Singh ????.
Mr.West Bank, great question. It seems that they were in a deep slumber and they woke up a few days ago and found out that drugs, fuel and guns are coming from Venezuela. I knew that a long time that all those guns and drugs are coming from Venezuela and I also said Brazil, you don’t need anyone to read, write and spell for you to know these are the two countries where a lot of illegal things are coming from not forgetting Suriname.The government are not looking to do much with the guns and drugs it seems, all they are looking into at this moment is closing in on the internet cafes and I think that is stupid and not a crime for anyone to be punished for.
LIVE IN LOVE
PEACE OUT
it stop in 1 way but it have another way arong drug can not stop in gt every 1 looking for the fast money
could that be reason why they turn a blind eye on the drugs because a BIG BRIBE is in it for some of the BIG BOYS?
So now we know the “main” ports of entry. Given that these areas are vast, underpopulated and under-policed, how does the Guyana government propose to deal with this scourge?
Amarie
tell your Govt to curb the large apetite for the thing like im telling my Govt here daily and the thing will stop…The US and Canada only want people to think they are doing something about this scourage….if 40 mil is just a two week supply for the greater toronto area alone…do the math for country wide of both countries….ehehehehehe
how can canu control the cocaine or minimise it,it appears that canu does not have the man power for a small raid ,so what about the GPF narcotics section doing, I am not hearing them making big arrest now. I think we need to get a proper anti narcotics squad with a combination of skills along with a well an efficeent inteligence section within it free from political control and corruption, In recent time we are making headlines with narco and other illegal things,I wonder if that is the way we want reccognition
GPF? GEORGETOWN? or BERBICE? You can forget BERBICE They are the biggest DISGRACE to the GUYANA POLICE FORCE I could hunt out nearly the whole of berbice and let them tell you about the service and Protection they get from their tax-paying dollars, “BRUTE FORCE”not a police force
It is just a matter of time , look out the case jacket usually have wings like a dove in Guyana.
Re: “look out the case jacket usually have wings like a dove in Guyana”; but, it looks like the “stick no-nonsense screws” are about to be tightened up!
This should read: “but, it looks like the “stick no-nonsense screws” are about to be tightened up as the U. S. Fourth Fleet’s (which was re-established during April 2008) Mission is becoming clearer and clearer.
Perhaps, it is only time before “Super-Sonic Harriers aboard U. S. Carriers” go after the “go-fast boats” in hot-pursuit while enforcing the “Ship Rider Agreement”!
…yesterday,, when i made what CANU,, today – as is reported in the above – has declared that the cocaine is coming from venezuela,, via the mazaruni-potaro confluence where bartica is strategically established as a town ! many here who from their comments ,,leave the impression that their biz is being affected by my “hint” to the “square peg house manager” ,, the COP and his sleuths…..
as a result of this scourge on the innocent ,, i feel it may just be fate that is in this perpetual flooding ,, the result of which is to cleanse the nation of these ,, highly undesirables that find themself amongst the – yet to be converted – poor who will be victims of the
“fast money” in the cocaine trade !
keep the pressure on ,guyana is cooperating now with america and canada
squeeze the ppp government guyana will be a better place to live and visit
in the future THE COOKIE IS CRUMBLING its just a matter of time , big
up uncle sam, new president new approach to the caribbean and south america countries, zero tolerance for govt’s. that turn a blind eye to drug
cartels,phantom killers,trafficking in people,corruption,dictators,all
will be dealt with soon, guyanese people better days are coming keep
hope alive.
Torbo, nuff respect to you on this BLOG, big up Man
Live in love
Peace out
how you know that it wil change because of the new administration, didn’t he said it will get worse before it get better.
Re: “[...keep the pressure on ,Guyana is cooperating now with America and Canada
squeeze the ppp government Guyana will be a better place to live and visit
in the future THE COOKIE IS CRUMBLING its just a matter of time , big
up Uncle Sam, new President new approach to the Caribbean and South American countries, zero tolerance for govt’s...]” Increased pressure has already been applied with the re-establishment of the U. S. Fourth Fleet in April 2008:
Re: “U.S. Navy Announces Re-Establishment of U.S. Fourth Fleet
Salem-News.com
Some say it could be another setup for a preemptive military strike.”
http://www.salem-news.com/articles/april242008/fourth_fleet_4-24-08.php
stop babbling, clean up wall street corruption first, and all the corrupt officials from the down and out corporations that need the tax payers money.
May the Most High JAH bless your words torbo
Since when Democrats are tough on crime, get real.
Alcohol like cocaine should have been banned a long time ago. The problem with the world is the insane double standards that we perpetuate left right and centre…for example while musicians and creative people drown in poverty due to the absence of adequate copyright legislation in Guyana the govt radio and tv stations and the entire nation happily cavort with the pirates.
Pirates sell adult material to lots of school children yet nobody seems to be bother by that either.
The cocaine business is the mainstay of this economy…try doing legit business like music business for example and you will see what I mean.
oh poor chile, A lone voice crying out in de wilderness n EVERYBODY ignoring ya. Perhaps it’s time you change ur profession
OOh well! The fall guys are all available for questioning but will not give the bosses up. In GY there are no bosses they are all in Brazil, Columbia and Venezuela. This is much deeper than the fools who want to get rich by doing illegal activity.
Guyana does not have the funds, manpower or experience to fight this.
That is so true, Guyana does not have the funds and manpower
to fight the bosses in Brazil, Venezuela and Columbia,
BUT WE HAVE THE MANPOWER TO KEEP THE “DEA” OUT
THE COUNTRY. Our Government can do better to fight
the Drug Bosses, “if” they want to Debbie.
Re: “Guyana does not have the funds, manpower or experience to fight this…” But, the United states of America, Canada and Great Britain have; and, they are already on their way! Read it for yourself here:
Re: “U.S. Navy Announces Re-Establishment of U.S. Fourth Fleet”
“Salem-News.com”
“Some say it could be another setup for a preemptive military strike”.
http://www.salem-news.com/articles/april242008/fourth_fleet_4-24-08.php
Debbie… like yuh no wha yuh takin bout…If the vessels in which the drugs are being transported are being properly controlled eventually the drug lords would find another port of distribution our borders that guyana has no contole over makes it easy for all sorts of illegal actitivies. Guyana gets the blame while SUriname, Venezuela and Brazil really are the BOSSES of every border around Guyana,there is enoough Drugs that comes to HOLLAND from south america and there is absouutely no direct connection by air or sea with the exception of suriname, its also the shortest and cheapest way to guyana I think the Surimane borders is the one that has to be onder constant survelance because if drugs comming from venezuela and Columbia passes through Guyana and reaches to holland then suriname has o be one of the port of entry or the port in transit lets hope our ideas would be of some help