Authorities acted on intelligence regarding an aircraft attempting to land at an illegal airstrip on October 6, 2024, at approximately 10:55 hrs, in Bashaizon Village, South Rupununi, resulted in a thorough investigation and the apprehension of a suspect.
Commander of Regional Police Division #9, Senior Superintendent Raphael Rose, along with a team from the Guyana Police Force (GPF), including Inspector Alfred, Detective Sergeant De Jonge, Sergeant Joseph, and other ranks, supported by three members of the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU), responded to the report and promptly visited the scene.
At 10:55 hrs, Sergeant Joseph, the officer in charge of the Aishalton Police Station, was instructed to lead a team to monitor the suspected illegal airstrip in Bashaizon Village. Armed officers, including Constables Berckly and Wenceslaus, departed Aishalton aboard ATV motorcycle #CL 9533 to investigate.
Upon arrival, the ranks discovered a large plot of land in the savannah, featuring an illegal airstrip running north to south, about three miles from the village’s main access road. They also observed a black, gold, and white Islander aircraft, with registration #PU-MBN, parked on the airstrip, facing north. A dark, fully tinted four-door motor pickup truck was also parked adjacent to the aircraft.
As the officers approached, they saw two fair-skinned males exit the aircraft and board the pickup. The vehicle turned and fled southward as the ranks closed in, with one of the men falling from the truck during the escape. The fleeing pickup collided with the aircraft, damaging its right wing and front propeller before speeding off.
Despite discharging two .38 rounds in an attempt to stop the vehicle, the pickup successfully crossed the Takutu River into Brazil. However, the ranks apprehended the man who had fallen from the vehicle. He was later identified as Robistaine Peixoto Saraiva, a 48-year-old Brazilian gold miner from Boa Vista, Brazil.
Upon being informed of the offences, a search of Saraiva revealed no illegal items. During questioning, Saraiva stated that the pilot who had fled in the pickup was known to him only as “Wallefi Kayck.” Saraiva further disclosed that he had chartered the aircraft from Santa Len De Para Company in Brazil last Wednesday or Thursday, and on October 4, 2024, they flew from Chimba Airstrip, Brazil, to Venezuela, where they dropped off ten cylinders of mercury (Quicksilver). After staying in Venezuela, they arrived in Guyana on October 6, 2024, with the intention of purchasing mercury from a Brazilian known only as “Mute” for his gold mining operations.
A search of the aircraft led to the discovery of several items, including:
• One iPhone 13 Pro Max
• One Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra
• One Samsung Galaxy A03
• One Tracker phone
• Two Garmin GPS devices
• One pair of earbuds
• One wireless charger
• Several phone cables
• A quantity of male clothing
• Two black haversacks
Additionally, a black-and-white NK 150 CC motorcycle with registration #4693 was found hidden in nearby bushes, about 200 feet from the airstrip.
The scene was processed and photographed by detectives, and several individuals in the area were questioned, providing useful information for the ongoing investigation. Authorities remain committed to cracking down on illegal activities and ensuring the security of Guyana’s borders.
