Two Venezuelan men, who sources say are suspected to be members of notorious Sindicato gang, were arrested by police after being found with grenades in their possession on Thursday.
The arrests were made by ranks from the Eteringbang police station during a patrol.
Police yesterday said in a statement that around 3.30 pm, the ranks, who were on patrol with the members of the Guyana Defence Force, conducted a search on a boat that was transporting 17 persons at Mode Hole, Cuyuni River.
During a search of the men, who are both 28-year-old Venezuelan nationals, each was found with a live grenade hidden in the crotch of his pants. They were immediately arrested and taken into custody.
Crime Chief Lyndon Alves yesterday told Stabroek News that the men were being questioned at the Criminal Investigation Department Headquarters at Eve Leary.
Asked if it has been established that the suspects were members of the Sindicato gang, Alves responded in the negative, while noting that he was not updated by the investigating rank.
Police sources, however, told this newspaper that the men were suspected gang members.
Earlier this month, a man suspected to be a member of the Sindicato gang was killed after security officers of Sheriff Security Services held off an attack that lasted for over an hour and a half at a mining camp at Black Water, Cuyuni, Region Seven.
At the time, nine security officers from the Sheriff Security Services were at the time rendering their services to SSS Mining at the camp when they came under heavy gunfire from persons who they suspect to be members of the Venezuelan gang.
Amir Ahmad, Chief Executive Officer of the security service, had related that after the attack subsided his men searched the outskirts of the camp and found the dead man, who was lying on the ground with two handguns with matching ammunition as well as ammunition for an AK-47 rifle.
Last year, miners called on the police and government to improve security for miners in the Cuyuni River owing to attacks by gang members.
