Businessman nabbed with AK-47 charged

Dec 25, 2025 News

…accuses CANU ranks of robbing him of $1.1M, four iphones

(Kaieteur News) – City businessman, Amar Persaud who was nabbed on Sunday evening with an AK-47 rifle and other smalls arms was on Wednesday charged with unlawful possession of firearm and ammunition.

He has since accused ranks of Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) of robbing him.

In a statement to the media he said that at 10:00hrs yesterday he was brought before Acting Chief Magistrate Faith McGusty in handcuffs to answer charges related to the unlawful possession of one AK-47 rifle and 19 7.62x39mm rounds of ammunition for which he was not a licence holder. He was also charged with the unlawful possession of Taurus pistol without a licence.

“The prosecutor stated that on the evening of Sunday 21^st December, 2025, the Customs and Anti-Narcotics Unit received certain information and proceeded to Sheriff Street where they approached a Toyota Premio with Persaud sitting in the front driver seat. The ranks conducted a search and found the rifle, hand gun and ammunition in a bag resting on the backseat of the car. The ranks also found a Glock 9mm pistol in the waist of Persaud. It was later found that Persaud possessed a valid licence for the Glock pistol and no charges were laid for that firearm as a result,” the statement said.

Furthermore, “Attorney-at-Law Siand Dhurjon entered an appearance to represent Persaud after Persaud pled not guilty. Dhurjon stated that CANU had set up Persaud by using an individual who befriended Persaud two weeks prior. The individual directed Persaud to park at the specific location on Sheriff Street and met Persaud there under the pretense of purchasing and selling phones to him.”

It went on to explain that Dhurjon told the court that Persaud buys and sells phones and prior to entering the vehicle the individual threw a bag into the backseat. He however contended that Persaud assumed that the bag contained only cellular phones and that he had no opportunity to access or inspect the contents.

“This was because in less than four minutes, officers of CANU arrived and blocked Persaud’s car. The officers then dragged Persaud out of the car and pushed his face in to the road,” it said.

Additionally, “Strangely,” Dhurjon stated, the ranks demonstrated great familiarity with the individual and did not arrest him but interacted with him before he disappeared from Persaud’s view. Dhurjon stated that Persaud saw when two CANU ranks stole $1,100,000 that belonged to Persaud from his car as well as four brand new iPhone 17 Pro Max phones in sealed boxes. The ranks then placed the remaining quantity of iPhone 17 Pro Max phones into lawful custody but kept the rest in their pockets and on their persons much to the protest of Persaud. “

According to the statement during Persaud’s bail hearing in court the prosecutor specifically mentioned that Persaud was the lone occupant in the vehicle at the time of his interception. The lawyer highlighted that that such particular care was taken to mention such “fact in the case file only because it was not true as at the material time prior to Persaud’s arrest, the said individual who was named was in Persaud’s front seat.”

He then made a request for the body camera footage of the incident, declaring that it was most “improbable that it would be brought owing to the irregularities of the CANU operation. Persaud who has three small children ages 1, 2 and 5 years old was supported in Court by the presence of his family who were in tears. Dhurjon appealed to the magistrate and prayed that he would spend this Christmas with his family,” the statement read.

Dhurjon also submitted that there was a material defect in the charge and that it hindered Persaud to take certain steps which under the law ought to be available to him. McGusty advised that the prosecutor should seek advice from the Director of Public Prosecutions on the aspect of the charge and fixed 21^stJanuary, 2026 for the police to disclose all pertinent materials in the matter. She then granted bail in the sum of $500,000 to Persaud and as a condition he is required to report to the Kitty Police Station at regular intervals until the determination of the criminal charges against him.

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bail, CANU, guns, Iphones, prosecutor

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