Four Guyanese were among a six-member crew detained on the Guyana flag ship “Solo” which was found with 6.3 tonnes of cocaine, according to a statement issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs on Sunday.
According to the statement following a request from French authorities and in collaboration with the Government of Guyana and the Customs Anti-Narcotics (CANU) authorization was granted on Saturday to board the ship which was operating off the Coast of West Africa.
During the search the French authorities discovered 6.3 tonnes of cocaine packed in bales. Apart from the four Guyanese the other two crew members were nationals of Colombia and Dominica. The investigation is continuing.
According to the statement, the Government is committed to strengthening international cooperation in the fight against transnational organised crime, particularly narcotics trafficking.
This bust was announced two days after authorities in the Twin Island Republic Trinidad and Tobago announced the seizure of more than $250 million worth of cocaine on a ship which had sailed from Guyana.
According to the statement issued by the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) intelligence received indicated that the shipping vessel, which journeyed from Guyana to Trinidad, was carrying a substantial quantity of narcotics under the guise of legitimate cargo destined for St. Martin, the French side of the island.
The ship, the TTPS said, arrived in Trinidad on February 25, but its activities while on the island were closely monitored.
On March 11, the vessel was observed receiving large shipments of various goods, which appeared to be routine.
Clearance was granted for the ship’s departure on March 12, however the altering of the ship’s departure schedule by the crew raised suspicions, the statement said.
The vessel’s movements were tracked by authorities and eventually intercepted by Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard in open waters and escorted to Staubles Bay.
There, the TTPS said specialized resources including a highly trained canine unit conducted an exhaustive search over a period of two days, eventually coming upon a concealed, sealed compartment. There 157 packets of cocaine, weighing a total of 182.24 kilograms which carried a street value of just over 254 million. Five crew members were arrested in connection with trafficking attempts and the investigation is ongoing.