A GEORGETOWN Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) lab technician was Thursday attacked and robbed of her valuables by two armed bandits on Main Street, Georgetown.

The victim was identified as Tamara Gibbs, 40, of Lamaha Springs, Joint Services Housing Scheme.

Reports indicate that the lab technician was walking south along Main Street, heading to the Guyana Power and Light (GPL) to pay her bills when she was confronted by the two men as she was about to enter GPL’s compound.

One of the men pointed a gun at her and demanded that she hand over her handbag, with which she complied. Her handbag reportedly contained documents, her cellphone and cash.

The men escaped on a black and grey motorcycle on Main Street before turning into New Market Street. The matter was reported and the police have launched an investigation.

THREE armed masked bandits robbed rice farmer, Rohit Harrinarain, who lives a stone’s throw away from the Mibicuri Police Station, some $2.5 million in cash and jewellery in the wee hours of Saturday morning

The bandits invaded the Lot 30 Mibicuri South, Black Bush Polder, home of Harrinarain around 00:30 hrs, reports say. The farmer and his wife, Lilawattie Harrinarain called “Siloje”, a market vendor, were not at home at the time.

They had hours earlier left for the Port Mourant Market to ply their trade of retailing and had to rush back home after they received the news.

At the time of the robbery, two of the couple’s younger children were at home.

According to reports, the bandits gained access to the heavily secured premises by scaling the fence and using a crow bar and shears to open the side door on the lower flat of the two-storey building.

Once inside, the men ransacked the lower flat and took whatever valuables they could find before making their way to the upper-flat where the couple’s children, ages 12 and 13, were sleeping.

Sabitree Harrinarain, an elder daughter who lives nearby, related that she received calls from her brother and sister who informed her that bandits invaded their home.

Sabitree said from what she was told, her siblings were sleeping at the time when the bandits pounced on them. The robbers also threatened to kill them if they do not hand over the valuables in the home.

“Them wake up them children and tied up the boy and threatened to kill them if them nah hand over the money. Me sister say she nah know where the money deh but after them insist and threaten them, me brother carry them to the money,” Sabitree told Guyana Chronicle.

She also noted that the robbers were brave enough to carry out the robbery at the home, which is in close proximity of the Mibicuri Police Station.

Her two younger siblings are traumatised by the incident.

A report was made to the police but by the time they arrived, the bandits had already made good their escape with their loot by scaling the high fence.

— 39 cases in all; said they were for police’s Old Year’s Night party

LESS than three months after being given the responsibility to head the SWAT (Special Weapons and Tactics) unit, Deputy Superintendent of Police Motie Dookie could find himself being asked to ‘walk’ from the Guyana Police Force after he was on Saturday busted with 30 cases of smuggled Johnny Walker Whiskey.

Up to last evening, he was being held at the Whim Police Station where ranks were preparing to hand him over to Customs enforcement officers.
The bust took place at a road block which was set up along the Corentyne Coast in the vicinity of the Whim Police Station and which was headed by a police Lance Corporal whose name was given as “William”.

The Guyana Chronicle was informed that the officer was driving motor van GPP 7399 when he encountered the roadblock.
Dookie reportedly told his juniors that the alcohol was “for police to drink at the old Year’s Night Ball” which is slated for this evening at Eve Leary.
Knowing the prevalence of smuggled items being ferried along the Corentyne coast, the ranks asked their superior to produce documentation for the items which he had in his vehicle, but he failed to do so.

A check also confirmed that the alcohol was not the property of the Guyana Police Force. The senior officer was invited into the station where he was promptly detained and senior officers informed of the development.
Dookie was assigned the top job at the SWAT unit in October of this year after the then head of the unit was robbed of a force- issued weapon and several other items during a carjacking. He and a female companion were “breezing out” on the Georgetown seawall at the time.

Shortly after Dookie was given the opportunity to head the unit, the SWAT unit in an operation which hinged on intelligence- gathering, successfully apprehended prison escapee Royden Williams in West Coast Berbice.

A few years ago, Dookie, who was then a cadet officer, was stripped of his rank after he stopped an associate of a senior government functionary. He was however reinstated to his original rank after challenging in the High Court, the decision to demote him. The court had found that his demotion was unlawful.

A prisoner was on Saturday apprehended as he attempted to smuggle narcotics  into the Timehri Prison.

Superintendent Mahendra Singh and ranks of the Timehri Police Station made the bust.The prisoner was identified as 36-year old Ramanand Latchman.

According to reports, the inmate who was working in the prison garden ,was seen behaving in a suspicious manner and when confronted by authorities it was discovered that he had the narcotic in his possession.

Meanwhile, on Saturday a team of policemen from the Timehri Police Station acting on intelligence ,arrested two 16 -year -old boys and a 21 year old man of Hyde Park Timehri with 1500 grammes of cannabis stuffed in a haversack.
The men were busted in Cemetery Road Hyde Park Timehri. They are expected to be changed soon.

A 53-year-old businesswoman of New Hope, East Bank Demerara (EBD) was robbed of her valuables on Saturday in Cummings Street, Georgetown, by armed CG bandits.

Reports indicate that after visiting a bank on the East Bank Demerara where she withdrew a large sum of cash, the businesswoman drove to a salon on Cummings Street, Georgetown.

Upon arrival there, the robbers stopped behind her car and one of the suspects dismounted the motorcycle with a gun and approached her.
He pointed the gun at her and demanded she hands over her brown shoulder bag that contained cash, valuables and ID and Bank cards.
Fearful for her life, the woman surrendered her bag to the robber, who then returned to the motorcycle and escaped.
Police are investigating the robbery.

Well-known photographer, Paul Kandasammy, was on Friday relieved of $163,000 and a gold chain valued $600,000 by two robbers on a motorcycle on Friday.

The robbery occurred while the 37-year-old was walking alone along Mandela Avenue in the vicinity of the National Cultural Centre.

Reports indicate that one of the bandits dismounted the motorcycle and pointed a gun at Kandasammy who did not hesitate to hand over his valuables.
The photographer reportedly threw the cash on the ground and the gunmen picked it up. Not satisfied, the gunman ripped off his (Kandasammy) gold chain and calmly escaped on the motorcycle.

A 31-YEAR-OLD gold miner was attacked and robbed on Old Year’s Night of $600,000 worth in gold chains while standing outside the Mackenzie Market, Linden.

The miner was identified as Trava Campbell, of Dakama Circle Mckenzie, Linden. Reports indicate that the miner was standing on the market pavement with friends when three armed men walked up to him and one of the suspects said, “You owe me from the bush,” and pulled off the gold chains.

In the process, one of the robbers gun-butted him to the head and calmly walked away and entered a waiting silver grey Toyota Allion which drove off east on Pine Street, Mackenzie, Linden. The robbery was reported to the police as investigations continue.

A 50-YEAR-OLD teacher of Alberttown, Georgetown was robbed of $1.2M by gun-toting bandits on a CG motorcycle outside her home, after making a withdrawal from a city bank on Tuesday morning.

Reports are that the woman left home in a taxi, and upon reaching the bank, asked the driver to wait on her while she finalised her transaction.
When she was done, she put the money she’d taken off her account into her handbag in which she also had some other cash, her National Identification Card and house keys and rejoined the taxi.

But upon exiting the car on reaching home, she saw one of the two perpetrators, who were apparently waiting for her, get off the motorcycle, gun in hand, and demand that she pass him the handbag.

Obviously afraid, she did as told, and the robber, who was the pillion rider, hopped back onto the motorcycle and he and his accomplice made good their escape.

…10 arrested, large amount of foreign currency seized

THE Joint Services have seized a large shipment of cocaine and arrested close to a dozen persons including foreigners during a major drug bust in the Waini River, top sources in the security have confirmed to this newspaper.

The Guyana Chronicle was told that the operation was launched during the weekend and intensified on Monday. So far reports suggest that thousands of dollars in foreign currency was seized and 10 persons were arrested among them Guyanese, Venezuelans and persons of other nationalities.

The M.V. Tamakay, a floating police station, is now permanently stationed at the mouth of the Waini River. It was in the Waini River some years ago when a suspected cocaine semi-submersible vessel was uncovered. This latest bust comes on the heels of disclosures that through their combined efforts the law enforcement agencies seized over $11B worth of cocaine for last year. Since coming into office the APNU+AFC government has strengthened inter-agency collaboration and has made significant gains in combatting narcotics.

Government also established the National Anti-Narcotics Agency (NANA), headed by Major General (ret’d) Michael Atherly who also heads the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU).

In its 2017 International Narcotics Control Strategy Report, the United States said the Government of Guyana cooperates closely with it but is limited by resource constraints and high levels of corruption in the country. The current administration elected in May 2015 has expressed a strong willingness to cooperate with the United States on drug control, extradition, and mutual legal assistance, and other international crime issues.

The report also states that the United States would welcome increased levels of cooperation with the Government of Guyana, to advance mutual interests against the threat of international drug trafficking. Guyana has shown strong interest in furthering collaboration under CBSI.

The United States looks forward to tangible progress on investigations, prosecutions, extraditions, security sector capacity enhancement, the engagement of at-risk communities, and enforcement of laws against money laundering and financial crimes.

BANDITS in a Toyota Premio motorcar robbed a vendor of his jewellery and cash on America and Longden streets, Stabroek, Georgetown on New Year’s Day.

Reports indicate that the 27-year-old vendor of Two Friends Housing Scheme, Ann’s Grove, East Coast Demerara (ECD) who sells clothing, phones, accessories and costume jewellery was robbed by two men one of whom was armed with a handgun.

At the time of the robbery he was packing his stocks into his car which was parked on America Street when he observed a silver-grey Premio motor car heading East on America Street, which is a one way.

The car then drove past him and turned around stopping parallel to his vehicle.

One of the robbers then exited from the back seat with gun drawn, pointing it at the businessman. Another perpetrator then exited from the back left side passenger seat and rushed to the businessman commanding him to lie on the ground where he was relieved of his valuables.

The armed perpetrator discharged a round in the air before rejoining the getaway car with his accomplice and fleeing the scene. Police visited the scene and questioned several persons who claimed they heard a loud explosion but thought it was fireworks.

AN unsuspecting East Ruimveldt resident was robbed at gunpoint of his valuables on the evening of New Year’s Day.

The victim, Ray Jaundoo, 23, was reportedly walking along the roadway in Phase Two, East Ruimveldt, at about 22:14 hrs when he noticed a silver grey Premio motorcar following him.

The car passed him but stopped a short distance away and two men exited and pointed a gun at him. They ordered Jaundoo to be quiet while they took away two gold chains he was wearing valued at $220,000, along with an iPhone worth $186,000. They then made their escape in the same Premio motorcar.

The victim subsequently raised an alarm but by then the robbers had already been whisked away from the scene

One person is in police custody following the discovery of the battered body of a fisherman at Crabwood Creek on the Corentyne on Wednesday morning.

Dead is 40-year old Sahadeo Sankar who lived in  a car along Burn Sawmill Road , Grant 1802 , Crabwood Creek.The man’s body was discovered by villagers around 0630hrs on Wednesday.

A surveillance video which captured the man being beaten outside a business place, led to the arrest of the prime suspect.

Police investigations into the man’s death are ongoing.