The search of the container of cocaine-filled logs, in which almost 800 pounds of the drugs were found on Tuesday, was delayed to ensure the proper procedure was followed for the examination, according to Commissioner General of the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) Khurshid Sattaur.
Based on a statement released by the GRA on Tuesday, although the container was flagged for irregularities, it had been sitting on a city wharf for 21 days before it was hand searched by anti-drug agents.
Sattaur yesterday explained that the GRA wrote the shipper, Guyana Timber Products Inc., about the findings of the scan process. During the correspondence, he said, the shipper was informed that a full examination must be carried out.
About three weeks passed before the shipper came forward to arrange the full examination, he noted. This process, according to protocol, has to be done in the presence of a number of external agencies, including the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU), the police, and the Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC).
According to Sattaur, following the scanning of the container, it was placed in a secure area on the wharf, through which the export would have been made. He did not reveal the name of the wharf.
After the examination was arranged, the container was escorted to the place of business of the shipper and examined, at which point the drugs were discovered.
GRA had said in its statement that on January 21, a shipment of seven containers was inspected and certified by GFC and issued with the relevant certifications by the agency.
It said that subsequently, the Commercial Invoice, C72 Form, Timber Marketing Certificate, Export Certificate and the General System of Preferencing Certificate of Origin were submitted to the GRA for the shipment of seven containers.
“However, on January 30, 2013, whilst the containers were being scanned anomalies were observed and three containers, with the numbers TEMU 3177872-7, CMAU 120027-1 and ECMU 156081-4 sealed with the CTA seal numbers 161100 ,161102 and 174880 respectively, were determined necessary for a secondary examination out of a total of seven that were scheduled to be exported,” the statement said.
“It was determined that the images were not in keeping with the information contained on the C72 Form, which clearly indicated that the content of the containers were the Mats of Hardwood (MHW). Among the contents of container ECMU 156081 were blocks of hardwood,” the GRA noted, while adding that its Standard Operating Procedures require its staff to establish that the contents in the containers are in keeping with what is contained on the C72 Forms.
Officials of the agency’s Drug Enforcement Unit noted that there were discrepancies in the physical content and colour coding of some of the logs and after it was confirmed that those were the logs that presented the anomalies, instructions were given for one of the logs to be drilled, the GRA said. It was at this point that cocaine was found.
The GRA has taken full credit for the discovery, which netted 359.8 kilogrammes in 314 parcels. It is the second largest drug bust in Guyana’s history.
More searches
Meanwhile, CANU, the agency spearheading the investigation, conducted further searches yesterday. CANU head James Singh told Stabroek News that ranks searched “locations” but no additional cocaine was found.
At the same time, he said it was awaiting the advice of the Director of Public Prosecu-tions (DPP) on how to proceed against the three men who have been held. The three men, a Dutch national and two Guyanese, remained in police custody at press time last evening, while time was running out for law enforcers to continue to hold them without charge.
At the moment, others are not being sought, Singh said.
Based on the information received by Stabroek News, the Dutch-owned Guyana Timber Products Inc. has been on the radar of anti-narcotics officials for some time now, following a previous discovery. Stabroek News was told that the relevant officials had been put on alert to pay special attention to anything being shipped under the company’s name.
CANU ranks only became aware that there were things wrong with the container on Tuesday. The container was escorted from the wharf to the Lot 80 Soesdyke Public Road address of the business, where each log in the container was searched.
From all appearances, a lot of work went into the entire operation to conceal the drugs. The drugs were wrapped in parcels, which were carefully packed into the hollowed-out logs, which were then carefully fitted back together.
The drugs were destined for Holland, where its value is estimated at approximately US$25,000 (approximately $5M Guyana currency) per pound.
This is the latest in a recent string of drug busts over the last few months and while some see this as a sign of strong efforts to combat drug smuggling, others believe that the masterminds are being allowed to get off and that no real effort is being made to find the source of the cocaine.
