A 19-year-old farmer along with another man were on Friday arrested following the discovery of over $184 million worth of ganja during an operation at Fort Nassau Savannah, Upper Berbice River.
The exercise was conducted by ranks of B Division led by an Assistant Superintendent of Police.
Police stated that during the eradication exercise, a search was conducted on a two-storey wooden building owned Rasleigh Ragan called “Blackie”, 38, of Fort Nassau Savannah, Upper Berbice River, during which three live 20-gauge cartridges were found along with seven 25-gauge spent shells.
At the time of the operation, 19-year-old Atley Hinds of Gateroy Village, Berbice River, was at the location and as such, he along with Ragan were told of the offence committed, cautioned and arrested.
However, in the presence of the duo, a further search was conducted in the building, where three bulky parcels containing a quantity of cannabis were discovered.
Ragan immediately claimed ownership of one of the parcels while Hinds took ownership of the other two.
Nevertheless, about 30 metres away from the building, several cannabis plants measuring about six inches to three feet in height were found. Again, Ragan claimed that he cultivated the plants for smoking purposes.
Meanwhile, the ranks then went to a nearby makeshift camp where they found about 450 pounds of dry cannabis with an estimated worth of $183,704,940.
The ranks also found another makeshift camp on a plot of land with about 137 suspected cannabis plants measuring about six inches to three feet in height along with a chainsaw and a water pump and a quantity of cannabis seeds.
The suspected cannabis plants were uprooted and destroyed, while the makeshift camps, the dry cannabis along with the chainsaw and other items were destroyed by fire.
The suspected cannabis seized and destroyed by Police during the eradication exercise amounted to six kilograms.
Ragan and Hinds were escorted to Central Police Station where they were placed into custody pending charges.
