POLICE ranks on Tuesday arrested a 48-year-old Lethem fisherman after he was found with more than 25 pounds of cannabis and a quantity of ecstasy pills during a routine search of a passenger minibus traveling from Georgetown to Lethem.

The suspect, identified as Clive Thornhill, was a passenger in minibus #BVV 887, which was intercepted at around 09:30hrs by police conducting stop-and-search exercises. The vehicle, driven by Jacob Lowe, a 44-year-old of South Ruimveldt, was transporting three passengers at the time—Thornhill and two Brazilian nationals.
During the search, police instructed the passengers to identify their belongings. Nothing illegal was found on Lowe or the two Brazilians. However, Thornhill was found carrying a black side bag containing $703,180 in Guyana currency, 1,798 Brazilian Reais, 3,260 Cuban pesos, and US$1,137.

Officers then searched two containers Thornhill identified as his property—a white cardboard box and a ten-gallon bucket—inside which they discovered twelve bulky transparent parcels containing leaves, seeds, and stems suspected to be cannabis. Two smaller plastic bags with a total of 40 suspected ecstasy pills were also seized.

A subsequent search of a red five-gallon bucket belonging to Thornhill, stored on the minibus roof rack, uncovered five additional bulky parcels of cannabis.
In total, the suspected narcotics amounted to 25.6 pounds when weighed in Thornhill’s presence at the Lethem Police Station. Upon being cautioned, Thornhill admitted ownership of the items, telling police: “Sir, give yuh boy a chance, is a lil hustle, tek the money.”

He was arrested for possession of narcotics for the purpose of trafficking and remains in custody as investigations continue.