Police yesterday released on station bail the suspected drug dealer they had arrested in De Veldt on Saturday last during a raid that saw them seizing several outboard engines and two boats from that community and Gateroy and Sand Hills, all in the Berbice River.

According to a police source the man was released yesterday on station bail as investigations continue.

Residents of De Veldt and Gateroy on Monday had questioned the police force’s authority to seize the assets of individuals, when they were not caught in any illegal activities or charged with crimes.

The police on Sunday said they arrested a suspected drug dealer and seized two speedboats, 12 Yamaha outboard engines and other articles as they continued their drug eradication exercises in the Berbice River.

But this newspaper was informed that the person who was arrested by the lawmen was not from the area and in fact was just visiting a relative.

The young man, according to reports, does not own any of the engines seized by the police and has no properties in the area.

Commander Stephen Merai had told the media on Sunday that the two speedboats fitted with 200 horsepower (HP) engines along with some smaller engines were found at the home of the suspected drug dealer at De Veldt.

According to Merai, searches were conducted at the suspect’s home as well as the homes of other residents and they were found to be “well equipped.” Among the other items found were a Stihl motor-blower, a measuring scale and three power jacks.

Some of the other engines, which ranged from eight to 200 HP, were fitted on boats that were found moored in front of residents’ homes at De Veldt, Sand Hills, Tataballi and Gateroy, 55 to 80 miles up the river. Many of the smaller boats were left behind because police could not transport them all.

The raids, which started three weeks ago, were conducted based on “intelligence” gathered and were part of an exercise to “cut down the drug trade,” according to Merai.

During the operations, several marijuana fields were destroyed along with about 30 to 40 pounds of compressed marijuana. Information received revealed that the articles belonged to the owners of the fields.

The commander said they have decided to “switch gears and go after the assets… which are the proceeds of the drug trade.”