A Guyanese outgoing passenger at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport has accused a female officer of the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit of theft committed at the airport.
The woman, who wished to remain anonymous, related that on Saturday, April 28, she was an outgoing passenger at the airport, heading for Miami , when the incident occurred. She said her trip was to Miami via Trinidad with Caribbean Airlines 484 departing at 05:45 am.
According to the woman, her shoulder bag was scanned by the officer, who inquired about some US$9,683 that was in the bag. The woman said she informed the officer that the amount was fully stated in print on the form on which it is customarily written.
The passenger said that she was asked to accompany the officer to a room, since the officer pointed out that the amount of money may not be what was written on the paper. In the room, the woman said, the officer began counting the money and she was appalled when the female officer told her there was only 43 US$100 bills among the other bills, although the woman had counted 44 prior to travelling to the airport.
The woman said that she had counted the money shortly before in the presence of her husband, who confirmed that there were indeed 44 US $100 bills among the other $20, $10 and $5 bills that made up the total amount.
According to the passenger, at boarding time, a Secure Innovations and Concept Officer began checking her bag, placing both hands inside.
The passenger said she requested to have her money, but this other officer refused, claiming the other passengers will see it. She said the officer gave her a camera from the bag and delved in further. The angry woman said she became disoriented when the officer returned the bag and left hurriedly with a jacket she was wearing.
Although she was suspicious, the irate passenger said, since it was time to board the airline, she immediately checked the cash while seated. It was then she discovered that an additional 22 US$100 bills were missing.
The matter was reportedly brought to the attention of the flight attendant, who took her back with security to the terminal to investigate the matter.
This passenger said the security supervisor confronted the last officer who had checked her bag about the allegations, to which she responded that she had left hurriedly to use the toilet. It was noted that she was no longer wearing the jacket she had left with.
Since going to report the matter to the Timehri Police Station would have caused her to miss her flight, she returned to her flight.
The woman, who will be away for two months, said the Caribbean Airlines officials took statements at Timehri and at Piarco International Airport , Trinidad .
Yesterday, her husband said that since investigations were slow at the airport, he visited the Eve Leary Criminal Investigations Department (CID) and reported the matter. He added that he was informed by the head of the security firm operating at the airport that the surveillance cameras showed the two female officers removing their hands from the woman's bag.
However, he said, no sign of the missing cash was seen in the hands of the officers.
When the airport VIP Security was contacted yesterday, ranks there said the CANU office is dealing with the matter. When a number was requested for the CANU office there, this newspaper was told that there is no telephone in that office.
Efforts to solicit a response from the office in Georgetown , yesterday, proved futile.