Fishers net pirates in Suriname

Seven engines, fishing seines and drums of gasoline belonging to Guyanese fishermen from the Number 66 Fish Complex were recovered in Suriname last Friday and several men were also taken into custody.

A team from the complex which travelled to the neighbouring country to identify the seven suspected pirates who were earlier arrested was able to track down other men through their own “intelligence gathering” and alerted the police. They recognized four of the seven men.

This newspaper was told that the other men held were drinking at a bar in Copenaam when a man who was conducting undercover investigations for the complex heard them talking about “hijackings”.

The man informed the police after the men – all said to be Guyanese – left and they were traced to a boat. A member of the complex told Stabroek News that over two years ago they had suspected the men but never had enough evidence.

According to him, “After the hijacking started to make our lives miserable we decided to do our own intelligence gathering.”

He said they also learnt that “based on the pirates’ network” wanted man Kevin Narine was hiding out at Amsterdam. He said they headed for a creek and spotted a motorcycle that sources told them he rides.

They decided to search the area and a member recognized his 1,500-lbs fishing seine that was alongside a Chinese seine that was stolen from another fisherman on November 1.

He said while they were examining the seine they “felt something making noise and when we lift up the seine we discovered four of our engines.” They immediately alerted the police.

“A Dutchman saw us and he came up with his boat to see what we were doing there.” He said shortly after, the police arrived and conducted a search on the man’s boat and found another stolen engine, a shotgun and a mask. Police also checked his house and found another engine under his bed.

Police are also investigating reports that even though the man’s boat hardly goes out to work at sea, he sold US$7,000 worth in suspected stolen fish glue last Thursday.

Three drums of gasoline and two empty drums with markings from fishermen from the complex were also found. The items have been lodged at the Amsterdam Police Station.

The police also took the fishermen to the house where the wanted man stays and caught another Guyanese whom the men recognized as one of the pirates. Groceries and a few pairs of camouflage pants were found in the house.

The fishermen learnt that “it is a big network with about 20 people and we still have a lot of work to do and would not rest until we get all of them