DR officials were tipped about cocaine in rice shipment

Aug 23, 2013 News

Information emanating from local investigators says that drug officials in the Dominican Republic (DR) were tipped that cocaine was hidden in the consignment of rice originating from Guyana and destined for Venezuela. The information further reveals that of the 41 containers of bulk rice that was heading to the Spanish-speaking nation via Jamaica and DR, one container was pulled from the shipment, while the remaining cargo was given the go-ahead for its desired destination.
Kaieteur News was told yesterday that as part of collaboration efforts between the mentioned countries to determine the origin of the drug, exchanged information suggests that there might have been some Guyanese involvement, although it is still not clear as to whether the drug was packed in the rice while in Guyana.
As such, the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit has indicated that there are some persons on their radar. Senior ranks involved in the investigation say that the security procedure for that shipment is unclear, while checks indicate that the relevant security measures were not followed.
As it relates to the bust in DR, Kaieteur News was told that officials over there were waiting for the shipment to arrive with agents from various security branches. Officials here say, however, that at any one of the aforementioned ports could have been infiltrated.
General Secretary of the Guyana Rice Producers’ Association (GRPA), Dharamkumar Seeraj told Kaieteur News on Wednesday that an in-transit route to Venezuela was not unusual, since such a small rice shipment would be exported with other cargo heading to different destinations – hence the stops. He explained too that paddy would go straight to the buyer.
Anti-narcotic ranks here and abroad say that the major challenge is to determine at exactly what point the confirmed legitimate shipment by Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB) was tampered with. For now, local investigators are trailing the containers’ travel route, while documentation on the shipment is being scrutinised.
Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) head Khurshud Sattaur told this newspaper yesterday that so far nothing unusual has come up from that agency’s end. He clarified that GRA is not directly associated with these types of shipments since the normal security procedures for example, the container scanner, is not applicable in this case. He said that as it relates to these types of shipments, GRA uses a type of risk-profiling system. He related that if cocaine is stashed in the bulk bags it would be difficult to determine this, hence exporters using this means are scrutinised based on their shipping credibility and reputation.
He however noted that GRA has been able to locate the declaration documents and that which relates to the said rice shipment.
Spanish news agency Dominica Today, said on Wednesday that three Spanish men have so far been detained in connection with the 70 kilogrammes of cocaine. The nation’s National Drugs Control Agency (DNCD) arrested one Manuel Alcántara in a raid on an apartment in Andres, in the country’s beach town of Boca Chica, not far from where the drug was seized. They said that man was found with a list of ships expected to dock at the port, where he would have allegedly received the drugs and re-shipped it.
Before that, Robert Garcia Ramirez, 36, and Venezuelan national Yonathan Alberto Reyes were arrested as they were about to leave the country aboard a flight to Caracas.

Latest News

DR officials were tipped about cocaine in rice shipment

Related

Similar Articles

The Glenn Lall Show|| February, 14th, 2025

Follow on Tik Tok @Glennlall

THE BLUNT OF THE DAY

Sports

Slingerz FC shines at Guyana Energy Conference and Youth Forum

Guyana’s rising Chess stars take on Barbados

Elite clubs will challenge KFC monopoly on team...

Bristol named manager as Guyana gears up for 2025...

BCB puts a halt to cricket season due to...

Changes made to KMTC Phagwah Horse race meet

Features/Columnists

The clock and the cloud

CARICOM Nations Should Respond Together To new U.S. Policies

Wood snake year

Publisher’s Note

Weekend Cartoon

Bridge Watch

Demerara Harbour Bridge

> Berbice Bridge […]

DR officials were tipped about cocaine in rice shipment

Share this:

Related

Similar Articles

The Glenn Lall Show|| February, 14th, 2025

Follow on Tik Tok @Glennlall

THE BLUNT OF THE DAY

Sports

Features/Columnists

Publisher’s Note

Weekend Cartoon

Bridge Watch

Demerara Harbour Bridge

> Berbice Bridge […]