– declared unfit for human consumption

THE East Berbice Corentyne Agriculture Association, in collaboration with the Ministry of Public Health and the Customs and Police Force, intercepted two smugglers on Thursday last and seized a quantify of Suriname shrimp, which was eventually declared unfit for human consumption.According to Suedat Persaud, Secretary of the East Berbice Corentyne Agriculture Association, a tip-off was received that a smuggler boat was heading to #63 Beach to off-load its cargo. Members of the Association decided to stake out the beach, and observed a boat offload 17 pails of shrimp into motor car PMM 5277.

They decided to trail the car while contacting the police. Persaud said the car took the #61 exit out of the beach, and after its occupants realised they were being trailed, they accelerated, but after a while the vehicle broke down, and the occupants — a male and a female -– fled.

Members of the Association gave chase with their vehicle, while a few remained with the car and cargo. Persaud said they were successful in apprehending the two occupants, and they took them to the #51 Police Station, where police ranks accompanied them to tow the broken down vehicle to the station.

Contact was then made with the Fisheries and Customs departments, as well as the Ministry of Public Health.
The 17 pails of shrimp were confirmed to have originated from Suriname, given that the species of shrimp was not known to Guyana.

Ms Adiola Craig of the Public Health Department examined the shrimp and declared that it was unfit for human consumption. The team then disposed of the shrimp at the #52 canal, in the presence of police and Customs officers.

According to Persaud, had the shrimp not been confiscated, it would have ended up on the local market because it is cheaper than the local shrimp.

Persaud said it has been over 15 years now since the Association, which comprises concerned fishermen, had been fighting the smugglers, but they have only been able to make strides recently, since the change of administration.

“This smuggling happening for over 15 years now, but since the Government change, only now we making strides, now we get the support from Customs, Public Health and police; all the time was we alone,” he explained.

He explained that the smugglers usually flood the local market with shrimp and tilapia, which are sold cheaper than those found on local shores, and local fishermen have been forced to lower their prices to match them.
In an invited comment, a fisher woman called “Fats” explained that a lot of times the fish and shrimp are camouflaged to look like local species, in order to catch persons who are unaware of the difference.

“They put black hair dye on the shrimps to make it look like black shrimps from Guyana, and people who don’t know buy because it is cheap,” she explained.

Persaud said that with the help of Customs, they were recently able to deter another smuggling boat from entering Guyana’s shores on May 25, 2016. He was very thankful for the help, and is urging Guyanese to be vigilant and be more cautious in their purchases, and to make every effort to support local fisher folks.