Two men, Marlon Jarvis and Alim Kartel, were arrested following a search operation in Lethem that uncovered a range of illegal items. The operation was led by the Customs Anti‑Narcotics Unit (CANU) with support from the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) and the Guyana Fire Service.
In a statement CANU said during the search, officers discovered uncustomed liquor, a quantity of pink‑coloured pills suspected to be ecstasy (MDMA), local and foreign currencies, and a quantity of yellow metal. In another section of the yard, officers found zip‑lock bags containing suspected cannabis and four motorcycles, later confirmed to have been stolen from Brazil.
No occupants were present at the premises during the initial search, which was fully documented using officers’ body‑worn cameras, the drug enforcement agency said. GRA officers were summoned to take possession of the uncustomed liquor.
According to CANU, Jarvis—the occupant of the premises—refused to grant permission for the search, prompting officers to obtain a warrant from the Lethem Magistrates’ Court. With assistance from the Fire Service, CANU officers gained access to the shop before moving to a separate section of the yard, at which point Jarvis appeared. He was cautioned, arrested, and escorted to the Lethem Police Station along with the suspected narcotics, currencies, yellow metal, and other seized items.
At the station, the suspected marijuana was weighed at 3.5 pounds, while the ecstasy amounted to 65 grams. Officers also counted just over $2 million Guyana dollars, along with varying amounts of foreign currency.
CANU has reaffirmed its commitment to working closely with local and international law enforcement partners to disrupt narcotics trafficking and related criminal activities.