Aircraft with suspected cocaine cargo makes emergency landing near Orealla - Brazilian pilot and passenger detained

Aircraft with suspected cocaine cargo makes emergency landing near Orealla – Brazilian pilot and passenger detained

May 21, 2021 News

Andre Luiz Periera.

Salem Nobrega De Alencar.

Kaieteur News – The pilot and lone passenger of an aircraft that made a forced, emergency landing on an open space near the Indigenous village of Orealla have been detained by ranks of the Guyana Police Force following a search of the aircraft that unearthed cargo containing suspected cocaine in the aircraft.
In police custody are Andre Luiz Periera and Salem Nobrega De Alencar both Brazillian nationals – it was unclear up to press time which man was the pilot and which was the passenger. Police disclosed that on Thursday, 20th May at about 16:00 hrs, they discovered the green and white aircraft bearing registration number PT-SRR that had landed in Orealla. A search of the said aircraft revealed several wrapped packages suspected to be cocaine in the body of the aircraft. The pilot and the passenger were subsequently detained and the joint services were dispatched to the location to conduct further investigations.
Meanwhile, a source from the village disclosed that the plane landed in an open space in the Savannah that is situated in the vicinity of the Orealla-Kwakwani trail sometime around 14:00 hrs yesterday. Kaieteur News was informed that when the aircraft landed, some bikers who were riding along the trail were stopped by the Brazilians and asked to assist them. The pilot and the passenger of the plane indicated that they were out of fuel and they got lost due to the inclement weather and said that they wanted to purchase fuel for the craft to be on their way.
The Brazilians requested some 15 gallons of fuel and said that they could only pay with US currency since it was all they had in their possession. The Toshao of the village was subsequently contacted by villagers and the issue was relayed to him. Speaking to Toshao Lewis Devair, he indicated that when contacted was made with him, arrangements were being made to have the fuel supplied to the men and arrangements were also being made for them to rest for the night in the village. At some point, the police from Orealla were informed as is the norm and the ranks ventured to the location, there a search was executed on the plane and the suspected cocaine was found.
Toshao Devair noted that while he recently took over as Toshao for the village council of Orealla/Siparuta, the discovery of the plane and its contents is a cause for concern and as such, his council will be working with the police “to put some control on things like this”. He noted that over the years, aircraft would frequent the airspace at various timings and in the past would land on an airstrip that is located along the trail but that airstrip has not been in use for a while and was overrun by unwanted vegetation. The Toshao said that they will continue to work with the police in an effort to curb illegal activities. Guyana Defence Force officers and additional ranks from the Guyana Police Force are currently in the area.