The army yesterday morning seized an illegal airstrip located some 80 miles upriver from Orealla in the Corentyne with a burnt-out aircraft on it along with a still smoldering all terrain vehicle and a bulldozer – clear signs of a drug operation.
In a press statement last evening the Guyana Defence Force said it is believed that the airstrip was constructed to facilitate transshipment of narcotics and the conduct of illegal activities. This is the second such operation within a year by the men in uniform and it comes at a time when the government continues to be criticized for not doing enough to fight drug trafficking here.
The operation was launched yesterday morning following the sighting of the airstrip on Sunday during a routine flight to New River by a GDF pilot who on flying over the airstrip noticed the aircraft parked halfway up the airstrip and several persons clad in dark clothes emerging from the jungle, the GDF release said. According to the GDF, the aircraft, a Let 410 turboprop that is manufactured by the Czech Republic, carried a Venezuelan flag and it appeared that it was severely damaged after attempting to take off and had skidded off to the right of the airstrip.
The army said it is felt that the Czech-made aircraft was deliberately burnt sometime between Sunday and yesterday morning after the persons had seen the aircraft over-flying the airstrip on Sunday and anticipated an interdiction operation. The still smoldering all terrain vehicle and the removal of the bulldozer’s starter support this theory, the GDF statement said adding that there seemed to be extensive construction works being undertaken at the airstrip since it is some 3600 feet in length, which is longer than the Ogle aerodrome, and 375 feet in width, wider than Timehri runway.
However, only some 1800 feet of it was usable and the construction seemed geared to upgrading the remainder of the airstrip. According to the GDF, after seizing the airstrip the troops conducted several probing patrols and discovered a 25-ft trail that led for some two miles to the Corentyne River, which suggests that the bulldozer and other equipment may have been transported via the river.
“The discovery of the airstrip, which is some 10 minutes flying due southeast from Kwakwani, comes in the wake of the discovery and destruction of another illegal airstrip in the Orealla area earlier this year and reports of several aircraft sightings and landings at remote airstrips in the interior,” the GDF said.
Gobeltex
Back in May this year members of the Joint Services had destroyed an illegal airstrip in the Amerindian village of Gobeltex, some six miles down the river from Orealla. The joint services had said the airstrip was in Orealla, Corentyne but residents disputed this. It was thought that the airstrip was used for drug trafficking. The destruction of that airstrip by explosives was witnessed by some members of the media. The GDF had said then that the location of the airstrip was made known to the lawmen by residents in the area. The lawmen found some 500-plus gallons of aviation fuel at the location and pots and spoons were also discovered suggesting that there may have been some occupation of the area.
Former army spokesman, Earl Edghill had said then that the airstrip was being used for illegal purposes and did not rule out the possibility that more such airstrips may be present in the area.
Stabroek News was told by a concerned resident that a number of illegal airstrips are in areas such as Springlands and Orealla. The resident was upset at the length of time the lawmen took to act since according to him for sometime now the information was not only passed to police in ‘B’ Division but reports were also made to the police in Georgetown. The man said that he is extremely concerned because the area is being used as a major transshipment point for cocaine and he could not understand why the authorities would not act promptly. He said residents were aware of what was happening, adding that some are even involved in the illegal acts. According to the man aircraft would land in the area from time to time and so it was no big secret.
The police have seen little success in the investigation of illegal airstrips not even when an aircraft was found as in the case of a single-engine Cessna aircraft that was discovered abandoned at Kwapau airstrip, Middle Mazaruni in March 2005. The police seem to have closed off their investigation in this case even though the owner of the plane was identified as a Venezuelan.
The man according to reports had acknowledged that the plane was his, but he said that he did not know about its flight to Guyana. He however has not approached local authorities to date to repossess the plane.
At present the aircraft is under the control of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) and is parked at the Army’s hangar at Timehri.
