Region 9 contractor arrested in connection with illegal airstrip, plane find

Aug 22, 2017 News

A Region Nine contractor was yesterday arrested by police, as investigations continue into the

An army-released photo of the illegal airstrip for which a Lethem contractor was arrested yesterday.

discovery of a Beechcraft twin-engine aircraft two Sundays ago.
According to sources, the contractor reportedly used his front-end loader to build an illegal airstrip about 10 miles from Santa Fe.
While investigators have not confirmed, it is believed that the plane, said to be a Brazilian-registered one, and the airstrip, were being used for illegal activities.
Government officials last week confirmed that the plane, which has since been handed over to the army to secure it, had landed at the Region Nine location illegally.
Police reportedly also yesterday seized the front-end loader.
Government is taking the matter seriously, with President David Granger briefed last week Tuesday at the weekly Cabinet meeting. The matter is being treated as a national security issue.
On Friday, Granger travelled to Lethem, a border town that is linked to neighbouring Brazil via a bridge across the Takutu Bridge. There, the President urged security officials to pull out all stops to ensure that the sovereignty of the country and its borders are protected.
The plane was seized after police and other security officials journeyed to the area amid reports of strange flights. They had discovered illegal fuel and other items near a makeshift airstrip days earlier.
A number of men were seen running away from the aircraft when the officials descended upon the area.

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