Ammunition discovered in barrel at city wharf

– Shipping company to face brunt of the law

The police are investigating the discovery of several rounds of ammunition in a barrel at a city wharf last Friday. Immediately after the discovery was made by a searching clerk attached to the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) at the wharf, the police were summoned; and they have since taken possession of the barrel.

The importer, who claimed he got permission to import the ammunition, has since been taken into custody, and is assisting with investigations.

The discovery comes just weeks after the Guyana Revenue Authority announced that the contents of barrels would not be thoroughly checked in most cases, as part of efforts to fast track the processing time during the Christmas season.

Speaking with Guyana Times International, Commissioner General of the GRA, Khurshid Sattaur, said: “The discovery is a deliberate act which exposed the Revenue Authority’s weaknesses in terms of verification process; but it also revealed (GRA’s) strengths in its working force.” Sattaur explained that the shipping company responsible for importing the barrel will face the brunt of the law, since it is clearly an irresponsible act on its part.

He also said that the importer will be prosecuted according to the law, as would anyone directly involved in the shipment of that container.

Sattaur suggests that when persons take their belongings to be shipped, the shipping companies will have to be more careful, as the law stipulates that the contents of the barrel must be validated.

GRA has to rely on the documentation, and cannot be blamed for the discovery, he suggested; but he noted that stiffer penalties will be imposed if such discovery is made in the future.

He, however, noted that this is something that has been happening in the past, but GRA can only do its part; and he called on all stakeholders to be more responsible.

He declared that such a discovery is treated with importance, since it falls under the “terrorist act,” and it can put the nation at risk if not curbed immediately.

The GRA boss said that measures will be implemented to verify the contents of barrels before these are shipped to their destinations; and he noted that such can only be done by the shipping agents.

Sattaur also disclosed that the GRA will be carrying out more detailed risk management sessions with its staff, to equip them with the necessary tools to detect when these items are illegally placed in barrels that are meant for domestic purposes.

This discovery will not affect the system that is currently in place by the GRA, but cautionary measures will be implemented to address a recurrence.

Recently, various sectors of the society have lashed out at the announcement made by the GRA with regards to the physical checks on barrels coming in to Guyana.