Smashing of airport gang…Stolen passports link ex-cops to carjacking, attack on US-based couple

Dec 03, 2014 News

By Michael Jordan
Police appear to now have enough evidence to link an interdicted cop and his dismissed colleague

The robbery occurred shortly after the couple left the airport last Thursday.

to a gang that has carried out recent carjackings and armed attacks on travellers coming from the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, Timehri.
Investigators are said to be in possession of two American passports that belong to US-based couple Balram and Indira Singh, who were robbed of the documents, US$8,000 in cash, cell phones and six suitcases, with items for charitable organizations, by two armed men shortly after leaving the airport last Thursday.
The attack occurred at Coglan Dam, Pouderoyen, just as the victims were about to enter a residence. The gunmen also made off with a gold-coloured Toyota Premio, PPP 1862, which belonged to businessman Rabindranauth Sukha, who had transported the couple from the airport.
Kaieteur News understands that Mr. Sukha took part in an identification parade yesterday at the Brickdam Police Station. Mr. Sukha told Kaieteur News that he was unable to ascertain whether the suspects were linked to the attack on himself and the Singhs, since the area where the robbery took place was dark. Kaieteur News understands that the Singhs acquired new travel documents the following day and returned to the US.
However, taxi driver Nazir Khan, whose Toyota Carina was stolen by a gun-toting passenger and an accomplice last week Wednesday, identified one of the alleged attackers on Monday. He is still to recover his stolen car.
Investigators also have three licences that belong to drivers who were the victims of recent robberies, along with some police attire. The items were reportedly seized from the North Ruimveldt home of the 26-year-old interdicted police constable, who remains in custody, along with a 30-year-old former rank, who was dismissed from the Force.
Both men were charged in January, 2013 for allegedly attempting to solicit a bribe from a robbery victim in exchange for returning stolen property. Investigators had also detained a policewoman and three other individuals, but Kaieteur News was told that the female rank was released yesterday.
Indications are that charges will be instituted shortly.
Prior to the recent arrests, police had appeared to be at their wit’s end to apprehend the modern-day highwaymen who were robbing travellers heading to and from the Cheddi Jagan International Airport.
Last August, Latchmin Gopaul, a teacher, her husband, Lekraj Gopaul, and a taxi driver were abducted at gunpoint in broad daylight by two men in police uniforms while heading to the airport for a planned vacation.
The victims were then driven to a desolate spot at Yarrowkabra, off the Soesdyke/Linden Highway, where they were bound and relieved of millions of dollars in local and foreign currency, jewellery and other valuables.
Prior to that incident, Pastor Sewnauth Poonalall of the Good Hope Missionary Baptist Church was gun-butted and robbed shortly after returning from the airport with some overseas guests.
In early October, Canada-based sisters Estel Latchman and her sister, Gloria Stevenson were robbed at gunpoint by bandits who had apparently trailed them from the Cheddi Jagan International Airport to Leonora, West Coast Demerara.
Mrs. Latchman said that she was gun-butted repeatedly to the head after she refused to hand over her bag. The robbers escaped in a car with the women’s handbags, which contained $1,500 (Canadian), cameras, cell phones, bank cards and travel documents.