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Venezuelan busted with 23 AK-47
(Kaieteur News) – A Venezuelan national was arrested on Thursday after ranks of the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) intercepted a vehicle along the West Bank of Demerara and found 23 AK-47 rifles and matching ammunition inside.
Assistant Commissioner of Police and Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum told Kaieteur News on Friday evening that “the weapons were manufactured in the USA (United States of America)”.
“The serial number for one of them remained intact,” Blanhum said while adding, “However, the other 22 rifles, the serial numbers were obliterated”.
The weapons, according to the Crime Chief, are being examined by firearm experts at the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Headquarters’ Crime Lab.
The AK-47 rifles and ammunition that were intercepted
Head of the CANU, James Singh told Kaieteur News that the case was handed over to police after the bust was made. Three persons were reportedly in the vehicle when CANU intercepted it. Two of them managed to escape.
Thursday’s bust is the second set of AK-47 rifles discovered within 21 days.
Ten Ak-47 rifles were found on May 22 along the No. 11 Village Public Road in Berbice. According to police reports, ranks were conducting a stop-and-search exercise along the Berbice River Bridge Access Road between 01:00hrs and 04:30hrs when they intercepted a black Toyota Fielder Wagon bearing registration number HC 9018.
Acting on information received, ranks later conducted a search along No. 11 Village Public Road, where ten AK-47 rifles were found wrapped in plastic and cloth.
The firearms were examined and bore markings consistent with 7.62x39mm rifles. It was also observed that sections of the firearms appeared to have been tampered with, suspected to have been done to obscure serial numbers.
Further investigations led to the identification of the driver of motorcar #HC 9018 as a 33-year-old taxi driver, Stephen Rajah, 33 of Goed Fortuin, West Bank Demerara.
The man was subsequently intercepted at Nabaclis, East Coast Demerara, in the said motorcar and arrested. He was later charged and remanded to prison.
During that investigation, police had also found an abandoned Toyota Runx #PSS 4272 at Second Street, Savannah Park, New Amsterdam, Berbice, suspected to have also been involved in the transportation of the firearms.
Police later issued wanted bulletins for two men, Gregory Persaud and Antonio Alonzo Lawrie in connection with the same case.
They later surrendered to police. A day later, the Guyana Police Force via a statement to the press after their arrests said that a search was conducted on Friday June 5, 2026 about 17:00hrs at Farm, East Bank Demerara.
“During a search at the residence of a 21-year-old wash bay attendant of Farm, New Housing Scheme, East Bank Demerara, one extended magazine, suspected to be for a 9mm firearm, was found in a clothes basket in his bedroom”, police had stated.
The 21-year-old was arrested and questioned.
Following that find, police further notified the press that it had received legal advice to charge the wanted men – Gregory Persaud and Antonio Alonzo Lawrie with Conspiracy to Commit a Felony.
Persaud was also charged with the illegal possession of firearms.
They were both remanded to prison.
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