RANKS attached to ‘G’ Division (Essequibo Coast, Essequibo Islands) have recovered six firearms thus far this year as compared to one in 2017 and have destroyed over eight acres of marijuana cultivation.

This is according to Divisional Commander Khali Pareshram. Pareshram, during his “Christmas Policing” presentation held Wednesday morning at the Richard Faikall Police Training College, said the division has recorded successes in 2018. He said 39 persons were arrested and charged for cocaine and cannabis possession during the year 2018. The division conducted two eradications and eight and half acres of cannabis/Sativa were destroyed.

The first eradication exercise was held on June, 6, 2018 at Onderneeming. A total of 11700 cannabis sativa plants on an eight-acre plot of land were destroyed. The plants totaled 58,545 kilograms and thus far one person was arrested and charged.

On November, 2, 2018 another raid was conducted at Onderneeming where 600 cannabis sativa plants were destroyed. The plants weighed 200 kilograms; however no one was arrested for that discovery. The divisional commander said the firearms and the discovery of cannabis plots were found due to intelligence-led policing, (CID and Crime Intel Unit), continuous road blocks, increased stop and searches, search at suspected drug houses and social crime prevention programs (DARE, Lectures, Youth and Scout Groups). He said that the division has seen an increase in public trust and more persons are engaging the police and making reports.