Latest update September 26th, 2026 10:20 AM
May 20, 2017 News
Racing bike champion, Stephen Vieira, was apprehended Thursday night at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) for association with the $550M worth of cocaine that was found in lumber two Fridays ago at Zeelugt, East Bank Essequibo (EBE).
Vieira was returning home from Jamaica where he had gone to take part in a racing event. He was held around 21:30 hrs Thursday by police ranks and was subsequently handed over to officers from the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU).
The 84.986 kilograms of cocaine that was discovered was being prepared for export to the United States of America. Vieira’s name was on the shipping document. Up to press time, he was being questioned at CANU head office.
CANU is looking for Naraine Lall, the owner of the sawmill where the cocaine was packed. Tazim Gafoor and his son, Nazim, who were initially held were released from custody.
Kaieteur News was told that the bust was made after CANU officials received a tip off. When they acted, the boards were being packed into the truck.
The truck driver and porters were arrested but were subsequently released after it was discovered that the vehicle and its workers were hired to transport the timber. Vieira is said to be a representative of Naraine Lall.
The drug agency in a release said that ranks conducted a search at the parapet in front of the premises of Akeem Mohamed of Lot 227 Zeelugt, East Bank Essequibo, and searched a truck laden with several pallets of 1×6 dressed lumber boards prepared for export.
Several pieces of boards were drilled randomly by the ranks and revealed a whitish substance.
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