Three Guyanese were arrested on Sunday for attempting to smuggle nine Brazilians into Guyana via Sand Pit – an illegal crossing at the Takutu River near the Guyana-Brazil border, Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo).
Reports are that about 18:30h, Police, acting on information received, swooped down on the area where they discovered a minibus bearing registration number BRR 4856, driven by a resident of Tabatinga, Central Rupununi.
As they approached the vehicle, cops observed the driver and a female from Lethem packing the minibus with the Brazilians. Upon checking, nine Brazilians were seen in the bus by lawmen.
Inews understands that the driver of the minibus was questioned and he admitted that it was the female Guyanese who hired him to pick up the Brazilians and was hoping to transport them to Georgetown.
The nine Brazilians were escorted back to Bonfim, Brazil, and handed over to the Brazilian Federal Police while the minibus was impounded at the Lethem Police Station. The woman, her husband, and the driver were taken into custody. They have since been released on station bail as investigations into the matter continue.
