Bartica welder in custody after tossing ganja into river, over 360 grams recovered

Police have launched an investigation following the discovery of a quantity of cannabis during a riverine patrol in the Essequibo River on Tuesday morning.

The incident occurred around 08:30 hrs in the vicinity of First Avenue, Bartica, when ranks intercepted a wooden vessel carrying four occupants.

According to reports, during the operation, a 33-year-old welder of Bartica Housing Scheme was observed throwing three bulky black parcels overboard into the river. The parcels were quickly retrieved by officers and opened in the presence of the vessel’s captain and other occupants.

Inside, police found leaves, seeds, and stems suspected to be cannabis.

All four individuals were arrested and taken to the Bartica Police Station along with the suspected narcotics. The substance was weighed in their presence and amounted to 362 grams before being lodged.

The 33-year-old suspect remains in police custody as investigations continue.