Illegal aircraft found at Yupukari flown to Timehri’s army base

Oct 02, 2016 News

An aircraft, suspected of being in the drug trade, has been flown from the interior to the army’s hangar at Timehri.
According to the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) yesterday, the twin-engine Cessna, bearing a

The illegal Cessna aircraft at Timehri yesterday.

fake registration mark -N767Z- was assessed by aeronautical engineers of the army Air Corps.
The engineers found that they could not fly the plane from Yupukari since it required some parts. “The necessary spares were sourced, and the repairs conducted, resulting in the aircraft becoming operable,” the army explained in a statement.
The aircraft was subsequently flown by GDF pilots to Lethem on Friday where it stayed until yesterday.
“This allowed for the GDF engineers to conduct further repairs and functional checks under more favourable conditions, so as to ensure the aircraft’s suitability to fly to Timehri.”
The aircraft departed Lethem for the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA), Timehri, yesterday morning.
The army said that the aircraft is currently secured at the GDF Air Corps Hangar, Air Station London at CJIA.
The aircraft was discovered by residents who tipped off security forces last month.
A team comprising army ,police and aviation officials discovered it hidden at an airstrip in Yupukari, Region Nine.
Residents have since disclosed that they have heard planes circling. The area is known as a popular drop off point for illicit drugs.
Government has since appointed former army chief, Brigadier (Rtd.) Edward Collins, as Commissioner to investigate the incident with a report expected in two weeks.
This was not the first time that an illegal aircraft had been discovered in Guyana, Collins explained last week, shortly after being sworn in. He said that the issue is one of securing Guyana’s airspace.
It is expected that witnesses could be called.
Guyana is known as a trans-shipment point for illicit drugs.

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