Commander of Berbice Police Division , Assistant Commissioner Steven Merai,  is not disheartened  by the writ which was filed at the Georgetown High Court  in relation to five persons who are challenging  the seizure of articles made by him on March 27 last during a raid up the Berbice river. The police in Berbice, on that occasion, attempted to  cripple the narcotic trade in Berbice, having arrested one , who has since been released ,while  seizing   two remote  operated wooden boats, along with   twelve  motor engines,  three jacks  used in compressing portions of the prohibited plants, a scale, and a motor blower , all valued millions of dollars .
The items were   seized   following a raid in De Veldt, Sans Hills, Tabatali, and Gate Roy, areas 50 to 80 miles up the Berbice River.
Merai told the Guyana Chronicle  that he had expected legal challenges, but he has his work to do, and will continue to do so.
Last Saturday , the Commander again headed a party of 30 ranks and revisited  the riverain community  for the seventh time. At De Hoop, about 35 miles from New Amsterdam , Steven Richmond , who has since been remanded to the New Amsterdam prison , was nabbed in a cultivation plot.
Following his arrest, Richmond allegedly  told police that he was in the company of three others , including two Jamaicans, who have since fled into the  forested areas.
According to Merai, the captured man informed the police that he was at the location for two months , and his duties entail overlooking the high grade crop which was due to be harvested by July.
In addition to  Richmond, who was arrested , police confiscated several hundred pounds bags of Canadian fertilizers. The camp, camouflaged by trees , was well stocked with foodstuffs and household articles. A chain saw, water pump and other articles were also seized.
During the recent raid, ten fields covering thirteen and a half acres were destroyed , along with 23,000 plants and 18,000 seedlings .
Meanwhile, during the previous exercise, when several articles were seized , Merai  had  informed the media that following the garnering of intelligence, the police began  to ‘switch gear ‘ and go after the proceeds   suspected to have been gained through money laundering.
“The new legislation , in relation to the money Laundering Act, will be tested through this raid .These people cannot purchase engines and boats by planting corn and cassava. They have to prove ownership ,and they will also have  to prove where they got  the money from . I expected legal challenges, we are prepared for it,” retorted the Commander.
He further said the boats, which move faster that those  operated by the Police, have a seating capacity  of six persons and can  each transport approximately 500lbs of marijuana at a time,  and travel as far as Venezuela .
Merai had related, on assuming his position as top cop in the division, that he ‘will cut the narcotic trade to naught’, and being assigned to the largest producing area in the country, he will see that it  is destroyed.