…commission gets extension to May

THE work of the Commission of Inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the entry, interception, detention and subsequent release of a vessel reportedly linked to the US$71.7M drug bust has been extended.
The Guyana Chronicle was told that permission was granted for the life of the commission to be extended to the end of May to allow for the completion of its investigation. The commission was expected to submit its report, findings and recommendations to President David Granger on April 12, 2017, but due to having a late start, an extension was granted.
However, a source at the commission assured the Guyana Chronicle that the investigation was progressing smoothly, and that the commission was receiving unhindered support from the relevant agencies, including the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU).

The unnamed private maritime vessel was spotted in Guyana’s waters off the Corentyne coast moving north between February 11 to 14, 2017. While in the vicinity of Shell Beach, it was intercepted by local authorities, and brought into the Waini River and searched. Though narcotics were not found on the vessel, which was subsequently released, it is believed that the vessel is linked to a massive high-seas drug bust, which ensnared four Guyanese nationals and netted cocaine worth US$71.7M last February, 70 nautical miles north of Suriname in international waters .
It is believed that this vessel had transferred the large cocaine shipment to the mother vessel which was subsequently seized by the U.S. authorities and found to be carrying over four tonnes of cocaine.

The inquiry is expected to unravel the facts supporting the unnamed maritime vessel. According to the Terms of Reference, the commission will investigate the circumstances under which the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) received information that the vessel had entered Guyana, intercepted, detained and searched.
Additionally, the commission will try to ascertain what led to the release of the vessel, and whether the operation was approved by an authority in Guyana. The legality of the operation will also come into question. The ownership of the vessel, its capacity, capabilities and the identities of all persons who were on board at the time of the operation will also be placed under the microscope.