A 33-year-old welder of Bartica Housing Scheme is in police custody after he allegedly threw three parcels of cannabis into the Essequibo River during a riverine patrol on Tuesday morning.
Police in Regional Division Seven said the discovery was made at about 8:30 a.m. in the vicinity of First Avenue, Bartica. According to investigators, the ranks were conducting a river patrol when they intercepted a wooden vessel carrying four occupants.
During the exercise, police said one of the men was seen throwing three bulky black parcels into the river.
The parcels were immediately retrieved and, when opened in the presence of the captain and the other occupants, were found to contain leaves, seeds and stems suspected to be cannabis.
All four occupants were arrested and taken to the Bartica Police Station along with the suspected narcotics. Police said the substance was weighed in the men’s presence and amounted to 362 grams before being lodged.
The 33-year-old suspect remains in police custody as investigations continue.
