An intelligence-led operation by the Guyana Police Force (GPF) at around 14:20hrs yesterday resulted in the arrest of a Colombian and a Brazilian national when their plane landed at the Mahdia Airstrip with a large quantity of cocaine and cannabis.
The white Cessna skyline single engine aeroplane – red, light grey and dark grey in colour with registration number #N5470z – is suspected to have come from Venezuela and landed at the Mahdia Airstrip without authorization.
The duo, Mateus Vinicius Pontes Alberto, a 23-year-old Brazilian and Rodrigues Canon Dandres Estiven, a 43-year-old Colombian were arrested.
A search of the aircraft unearthed ten large parcels containing cocaine and one small parcel containing cannabis.
The cocaine and cannabis were seized along with one satellite phone, two GPS, two cellular phones, one Icon radio set along with documents.
Both men were escorted to the force’s Criminal Investigations Deparment (CID) at Eve Leary, where the parcels were weighed in their presence. The cocaine weighed 639.9 lbs or 290.2 KG of cocaine, while the cannabis amounted to 120.45 lbs or 54.6 KG.
The total value of all the drug seized is GYD$ 484,552,320
Investigations are in progress.
