The main suspect in Thursday night’s shooting which left two Guyana Revenue Authority’s (GRA) enforcement  officers nursing pellet wounds was taken into police custody Friday night, police confirmed.

Two other suspects are also in police custody and according to reports , the men were nabbed on Thursday night.

Reports indicate that around 21:50hrs on Thursday, the officers , who are attached to the Law Enforcement and Investigation (LEID) went to a house at Bee Hive, East Coast Demerara and began making inquiries about the  proprietor.

Minutes after, three vehicles – one Toyota Verossa and two minibuses – pulled up at the residence and its occupants began shooting at the GRA officers who took evasive action and returned fire. The vehicles then sped away.

GRA said three of its officers were the target of the gunfire. The GRA said acting on information received, around 21:00hrs, a team of officers coordinated an approach to intercept a motor vessel and motor vehicles suspected to be transporting uncustomed goods (a quantity of alcoholic beverages and foreign chicken) in Beehive, East Coast Demerara.

During the exercise, the officers observed a white Toyota motor car turning into the street and stopping in front of the house that was under surveillance.

The occupants of the motor vehicle exited and proceeded to maliciously shoot at the LEID officers with an undisclosed number and calibre of firearms. LEID officers were forced to take evasive action and defensively returned fire in the general direction of the perpetrators with their GRA-issued firearms.

The perpetrators then retreated to their motor vehicle and sped away, which allowed LEID officers to regroup and exit the location safely. It was then realised, GRA said, that two of the officers sustained injuries with what appeared to be shotgun pellet wounds to their arms and leg. The matter was immediately reported to the police.

According to GRA, despite the constant threat to their lives, LEID officers of the GRA continue to fearlessly execute their duty in an effort to safeguard the country’s revenue and curb the scourge of smuggling.

The Authority is enlisting the cooperation of the general public in providing information and assistance in apprehending persons involved in these illegal activities.