Two Guyana Defence Force (GDF) ranks were today nabbed with 316 lbs of narcotics during another successful intelligence-led Police operation by the Special Branch and other ranks.
It is the second major bust involving GDF ranks in two weeks and will raise serious questions about drug trafficking in the force.
In a statement, the police said that at about 21:20 hrs last night, acting on information received, the Ranks from Special Branch and other ranks went to Mandela Avenue, in the vicinity of Space Gym (behind the botanical garden), where they intercepted a Route 42 motor bus (#BTT 27), which was proceeding south along Mandela Avenue.
The bus is owned and was driven at the time by Edward Mc Calmont, a 40-year-old Corporal of the Guyana Defence Force, attached to Camp Ayanganna and a resident of Kaneville, EBD. Another GDF rank, John Johnson, a 24-year-old Lance Corporal attached to Base Camp Stephenson and a resident of Timehri, EBD, was sitting in the front passenger seat, the police said.
The ranks were told that they were stopped based on information received that they were trafficking in narcotics. Police then carried out a search of the vehicle, in the presence of the two GDF ranks, and found forty-nine large bulky parcels wrapped with transparent plastic on the bus seats.
Police opened the parcels in their presence and found that they contained a quantity of leaves, seeds, and stems suspected to be cannabis. They were told of the offence committed, arrested and cautioned.
The GDF ranks were taken to the East La Penitence Police station, along with the bus and the suspected cannabis which, when weighed, amounted to 316 pounds. The soldiers remain in custody as investigations continue.
This latest drug bust by the Police came in the wake of similar bust last week, where two GDF ranks – Staff Sergeant Adisa Higgins and Sergeant Clovis Sam — were nabbed with 154 lbs of Narcotics (Cannabis).
