Three Venezuelans were yesterday remanded to prison for an armed robbery that occurred in Region One.
According to a police statement, Jose Beria, 23; Aleyandio Valenzuela, 21; and Reniel Valenzuela, 23, all of Capio, Venezuela, were arrested on March 7, at Waini River Mouth, North West District. It was alleged that the trio stole a White Fibre Glass Boat valued $600,000, a 15 Horsepower Outboard Engine valued $700,000 and a 40 Horsepower Outboard Engine worth $1,100,000 from Rajendra Singh during an armed robbery.
The police said the trio appeared at the Diamond Magistrate’s Court before Sunil Scarce. The three men pleaded guilty to the offence were remanded to prison until May 22, 2023, for sentencing.
It is expected that on their next appearance, the men will be tried for Possession of Firearms and Ammunition without a licence.
The police had last week said that three suspected Venezuelan pirates were nabbed in rough north west coastal waters by the police and Coast Guard as they attempted to flee with a fishing boat and engines belonging to local fishermen.
Regional Division #1 Commander, Senior Superintendent Himnauth Sawh stated that the police and Coast Guard ranks were alerted to an alleged pirate attack in an area at Waini Point, North West District. The responding ranks embarked in a Coast Guard vessel in pursuit of the suspected pirates whom they managed to capture in rough waters as they attempted to flee towards the Venezuelan border with the boat and outboard engines.
According to the victims, the pirates spoke to them in a foreign language (believed to be Spanish) and ordered them off the vessel. It was described as a fibreglass boat, measuring about 20 feet in length, four feet in width, and about three feet in depth, and equipped with two Yamaha outboard engines (40 hp and 15 hp).
The suspects then took control of the fishing boat, including engines and seine, and fled toward the Venezuelan border.
