All fish/fish products passing through CJIA for security check

By Leroy Smith

[www.inewsguyana.com] – Transport Minister Robeson Benn has said that there has been some deliberations and continues to be deliberations with respect to fish and fish products passing through the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA).

During an invited comment over concerns that several items are to be prohibited from passing through the airport, Benn indicated that there has been no clear directive to prohibit any item from passing through the airport, except for those which already exist.

With respect to fish and fish products, the Minister said that while there is no final word on the arrangement, the initial decision being mooted is for anyone who carries fish to the airport in their luggage or any other form must declare same to the airport officials and security.

“If you are traveling and you have fish or fish products you must declare that you have it,” Benn said.

When asked about the reason for this move, the Minister explained that over the years the airport security and officials have noticed that fish is being used as the conductor for the concealing illicit substances.

He said that once the fish is declared then it immediately triggers a search in keeping with the new security measure soon to be adopted by the CJIA. “All fish must be examined,” the Minister said.

“Be it fry banga or frozen banga or any other fish or fish product the owners must declare it to be examined.”

Over the last few years airport official have unearthed several innovative ways by persons to ship cocaine outside of Guyana. Last year the CJIA as part of the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority’s anniversary commissioned a new scanner which has proven to be very effective with the detecting of illegal substances concealed on persons.

Earlier in the same year the GRA commissioned another scanner which also has been proving to so effective in detecting traditional ways of exporting cocaine through the airport which were undetectable.

Recently Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee expressed satisfaction in the increasing number of drug busts at the airport and credited those results to investment by the Government of Guyana.