– arrest warrant issued for biker Steven Vieira
As investigations continue into the G$550 million cocaine bust at Zeelugt, East Bank Essequibo, Tazim Gafoor and his son, Nazim Gafoor remain in custody, and the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) has issued an arrest warrant for ace biker Stephen Vieira.
Speaking with Guyana Times International on Wednesday, acting Head of the Unit, Major Michael Atherly confirmed that the wanted biker left the country after the discovery of the drugs. As such, he noted that an arrest warrant was issued for his arrest.
Nevertheless, Atherly noted that the Unit would try its utmost to apprehend Vieira with the assistance of its international counterparts.
In addition, Narine Lall, the sawmill owner, is still out of the jurisdiction. However, this newspaper understands that the High Court extension to further detain Nazim Gafoor will come to an end today (Thursday) and it is not clear if CANU will make another application to the High Court.
Atherly noted that investigations have intensified and once there was enough evidence, the father and son duo will be placed before the courts. This, he noted, will depend on the legal adviser of law enforcement.
On Friday last, members of CANU swooped down on a lumber yard at Lot 227 Zeelugt, East Bank Essequibo, where they conducted a search of a truck that was laden with several pallets of 1×6 dressed lumber that was being prepared for export to the United States.
During the search, several boards were reportedly drilled randomly and a whitish substance suspected to be cocaine was discovered.
The truck was taken to CANU Headquarters where the lumber was further examined, and it was found that each of the compromised boards had a dugout cavity with vacuum-sealed plastic packets containing cocaine paste therein. A total of 84.986 kilograms of cocaine with a street value of G$550 million were discovered.
At the time, four workers at the lumber yard were taken into custody, where they remained throughout last weekend, but were released on Monday after it was established that they were only contracted to transport the lumber.
Meanwhile, further investigations by the CANU ranks led to the arrest of Nazim Gafoor, a popular race car driver, and Haleem Mohamed. The elder Gafoor was on Monday afternoon arrested by members of the Guyana Police Force and handed over to CANU. Based on reports received, the two Gafoors are cooperating with the agents.
Meanwhile, CANU, in a release, stated that wanted suspect Vieira was listed on the shipping documents as the representative of Narine Lall, who is the shipper of the consignment.
