More than a month after uncovering an arms racket involving four soldiers and several Berbice businessmen, the Guyana Defence Force yesterday said investigations were still in progress.
To date, six businessmen and two foreigners have been arrested during joint operations by the army and police and efforts continue to locate two missing rifles.
The army launched the probe early last month after an AK-47 was found in a black plastic bag under a bed at the Ruimveldt Coast Guard base in Georgetown. Subsequent checks in the arms room revealed that another AK-47 and two M70 rifles were missing. Only one of the M70 rifles has been recovered.
Stabroek News understands that one of the two missing M70s was found in the possession of one of the soldiers.
Two of the soldiers - a lance corporal and a private - have since admitted stealing the guns and trying to organise their sale.
One of them reportedly admitted stealing the missing AK-47 in late July while a team of soldiers was transporting weapons from Cove and John on the East Coast Demerara, to a Coast Guard base at Annandale.
After weeks of investigation, two of the soldiers offered to turn state’s evidence. The soldiers remained in custody, but yesterday one officer told Stabroek News that the ranks were being allowed to perform duties at the army headquarters. Their freedom, though, has been restricted, the officer pointed out.
Among those charged since the uncovering of the scam were Salim Bacchus and Mohamed Shaharrudin, both of Corentyne, Berbice. They were arrested together with Brazil and Suriname nationals, Amanda Sueli Dos Santos Vale and Yohan Soekha, respectively. The nationals were jailed and were to be deported upon completion of their sentence. The two locals, along with Kitty businessman Rabindranauth Persaud, are on bail pending the outcome of their cases.
In the recent crime spree that has taken the country by storm, criminals have been using high-powered weapons, including AK-47s and M70s.