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GRA confirms smuggler’s missing boat

Jun 26, 2010 News

The Guyana Revenue Authority yesterday confirmed that a search has been launched for a smuggler’s boat that mysteriously disappeared from the Customs Boat House wharf on June 16.
But a GRA release said that officials were “immensely dissatisfied” with a Kaieteur News June 10 story on the incident.
In its statement, the GRA accused this publication of carrying a “one sided report”, which it said “failed to commend the dedicated officers for the seizure of the vessel and the prosecution of those involved in the illegal activities.
“Moreover, the citing of information provided by an unnamed source (third party) and failure to verify the veracity of the information leave much to be desired and contribute to the jeopardising of the investigation.”
However, Editor in Chief Adam Harris, said that the GRA is expected to apprehend smugglers. “To praise the workers for their job and ignore the glaring mistakes would be counterproductive.”
According to the release, employees of the Law Enforcement and Investigation Division (LEID) on May 28, 2010  responded to information, provided by an informant, and successfully located the wooden vessel which was at the time transporting a quantity of uncustomed goods at No. 7 Beach  area, West Coast Berbice. At the time of the seizure, the boat was in the possession of Eric Mootoo, Boodram and Mangar Outar, all of the West Coast of Berbice.
These men have since been prosecuted in relation to breaches of section 218 (d) of the Customs Act Chapter 82:01, GRA stated.
“Meanwhile, the Law Enforcement and Investigation Division of the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) and the Guyana Police Force continue to work in close collaboration in investigating the alleged disappearance of the smuggler’s boat from the Customs Boathouse Wharf on June 16, 2010. Further, the Commissioner-General is challenging all media houses to work with the GRA to avoid compromising ongoing investigations.
He says, “In seeking to curb illegal activities the lives of dedicated officers are jeopardised when information provided by third parties is not treated responsibly.
In the execution of their duties, the Law Enforcement Officers at the GRA are daily confronted with dangerous criminals yet they persist in the diligent performance of their responsibilities.”
According to the release, “it is the view of the Commissioner-General that the least that can be done for the courageous officers is the show of appreciation for their dedication and efficiency.
“To this end, media practitioners are urged to exercise patriotism in their reporting by focusing on the positives.”
If being patriotic is to hide irregularities and shortcomings then Kaieteur News would have none of that, Harris said.
Kaieteur News had reported that the smuggler’s boat was unloaded and taken to the Customs Boat House, from where it mysteriously disappeared.
This newspaper confirmed that several Customs officers in civilian attire had visited Riverview after being informed that the boat was there.
They focused their attention on a recently-painted boat and questioned a resident, who revealed that he had bought it about three weeks ago.
The original owner was contacted and the Customs ranks eventually left after confirming that the boat was not the one that they were looking for.
When Kaieteur News contacted the Customs officers at the scene, the officers denied that a vessel had disappeared from Customs House.
However, this information was confirmed by a Riverview resident whose vessel was checked.

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