Action will be taken against the Customs Anti-Narcotic Unit (CANU) officer who was recorded during an apparent attempt to extort a traveller at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) after claiming that a quantity of marijuana was found in her luggage.
This disclosure was made yesterday by Minister of Public Security Khemraj Ramjattan, who was responding to questions asked by reporters following an event at the Georgetown Club.
“Well, I understand that there will be, departmentally, discipline. I haven’t seen the report yet but I understand they have sent it to me… generally what is recommended by investigators I go along with it,” Ramjattan said.
On Friday, CANU had announced that it has recommended the immediate dismissal of the rank.
In a press statement, the agency had said that as a result of the findings of an investigation, there was “a serious breach” of its Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and as a result “recommendations for the immediate dismissal of the Officer in question have been forwarded to the Ministry of Public Security.”
A video, which was viewed by thousands on Facebook, was recorded by the Guyanese traveller, who was asked by the officer to stop recording since they were having a conversation and he was doing her “a favour.”
In the description above the video, the traveller highlighted the fact that she had just checked in and was sitting in the waiting area to board her flight when she was approached by the customs officer, who requested to see her passport, which she gave to him. She noted that the rank had a very small plastic bag in his hand and told her he found it in her suitcase.
The officer, she noted, then walked away with her passport and she followed. She then stated that she observed the rank with the individual that placed her bag through the scanner. She said that she then requested her passport, which was returned but she was then told that there was marijuana in her suitcase and that they were trying to help. It was shortly after that she began to record the interaction between her and the rank.
During the two-minute long video, the rank can he be heard pleading with the passenger to stop recording, repeatedly saying “I’m doing you a big favour.” He even states that narcotics possession is a serious offence. This statement resulted in the passenger indicating that he was doing her no favour and that the alleged narcotics was in his possession all the time.
Near the end of the video, the seemingly annoyed passenger advised the CANU rank to have his supervisor speak to her. After requesting to have a seat, the passenger was asked by the rank not to cause a scene and to once again stop recording.
