Crime Chief Seelall Persaud yesterday said that the Roraima Airways employee implicated in the most recent cocaine find at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, Timehri (CJIA) had placed the drugs on top of food that was about to be taken to a waiting aircraft.
Roraima Airways has since launched an internal investigation into the discovery, with CEO Captain Gerry Gouveia stating that despite a comprehensive security system in place, there are persistent attempts to breach them and target personnel.
The employee along with his accomplice is expected to make a court appearance today.
Persaud told Stabroek News yesterday that based on information gathered so far, a security employee attached to Roraima Airways went to the home of a caterer who delivers food to the CJIA. He apparently wanted a drop to the airport, Persaud said, adding that while at the airport the man threw the cocaine, measuring 1.8 kilogrammes, on top of food which had already been offloaded to be transported to the aircraft.
The discovery was eventually made in the terminal building of the airport. Persaud was unable to say how the drugs were concealed but this newspaper was told that it was wrapped in a blanket.
Meanwhile, Roraima Airways Inc. in a press release late yesterday afternoon, said that a full investigation into the discovery had been ordered by Gouveia.
It was explained that the discovery of cocaine was made during the delivery of catering services under security escort by the Aviation Security Division (AVSEC) of the company, for which one of AVSEC’s staff has been arrested.
It was explained that Aviation Security and Ground Handling Services are divisions of the Rorai-ma Airways Group and are contracted by Delta Airlines, among others, to provide services at the airport.
According to the press release, Gouveia noted that in spite of the comprehensive and highly professional security systems in place, constant and persistent attempts are made to breach the systems and target the personnel.
Gouveia, according to the release, said that AVSEC staff members are “rigidly screened by an independent security agency and approved by the airport management prior to recruitment and are trained professionally to the highest standard by an international security company accredited by Delta Airlines.”
All AVSEC staff members undergo annual retraining and examination, the release said too, and AVSEC staff and Roraima’s security systems are frequently subject to random audits by Delta Airlines and the US Transport Security Agency (TSA). It is these systems along with the CJIA airport security that contributed to the discovery and the prevention of the attempted breach of the airport security perimeter, it noted, while affirming its commitment to the highest professional standards of safety and security.
There has been a series of drug finds recently at the CJIA, which continues to be targeted by drug traffickers to move illegal substances overseas. While persons have been questioned in some instances, few cases have reached the courts and an airport source says that the issue points to a weak security network at the CJIA.
