Guyana: Former Parliamentarian Devin Sears arrested with 310 Kg of marijuana in Linden police operation

Guyana: A 39-year-old educator and political activist Devin Sears who is also famously known in Guyana's political scene as a former APNU + AFC Parliamentarian has been arrested along with a 69-year-old farmer for the possession of 310.71 kilograms of marijuana following a police patrol on Monday.

According to Linden police reports, the 39-year-old former Parliamentarian was uncovered around 8:41 p.m on October 20, as the ranks were on mobile patrol duties in the vicinity of the Old Bamia Police Checkpoint in Linden as they were conducting a random ‘stop and search’.

When they stopped the vehicle, it was identified as a dark blue Toyota Hiace minibus with the registration number BAJ 4486, driven by Sears, with another person, 69-year-old Albert Sandy, a farmer from Tacama Waterfront, Upper Berbice River, seated in the front passenger seat.

The police reportedly halted the vehicle, but as soon as they began questioning Sears, he started acting suspiciously, sweating profusely. When asked what he was transporting, Sears allegedly told the police he was carrying 'tourism plants'.

This triggered the police to instruct him to pull the minibus which is a property of Region #10 Tourism Committee Inc. to the side for a full scale probing of the vehicle. Officers said that they recovered at least 22 bulky, black plastic bags along with four large brown canvas bags inside the vehicle. They added that both the bags had leaves, stems and seeds which were suspected to be Cannabis.

The officers quickly apprehended the two offenders and cautioned Sears  to remain silent, while Sandy, the 69-year-old farmer admitted that the narcotics belonged to him and he had paid Sears to transport him to Parika.

Both men were arrested and escorted to the Mackenzie Police Station along with the suspected cannabis, which, upon weighing in their presence, amounted to 310.71 kilograms. Both suspects have been placed in custody pending charges, as the investigation continues.