Cops arrest businessman over $550M cocaine in timber- more lumber, DVR seized, as biker and other suspect remain on the run

May 16, 2017 News

Police ranks yesterday arrested West Coast Demerara businessman, Tazim Gafoor in connection with G$550M worth in cocaine that was discovered in timber on Friday at Zeelugt, East Bank Essequibo.
Gafoor was held while coming off a boat at the Parika, East Bank Essequibo stelling around 18:30 hrs.
In a release yesterday the Customs Anti Narcotics Unit (CANU) stated that Commander Leslie James of the Force’s ‘D’ Division and his ranks “ably arrested and handed over Tazim Gafoor to ranks of CANU.”
CANU secured extensions of time to further keep in custody Nazim Gafoor and Hakim Mohamed pending further investigations. Tazim is the son of race car driver, Nazim Gafoor, who, along with Hakim Mohamed, was detained last Friday in connection with the massive bust.
CANU has since secured extensions of time to further detain Nazim Gafoor and Hakim Mohamed, pending further investigations.
“Both Tazim Gafoor and his son Nazim Gafoor have retained Counsel and are not assisting in investigations,” the CANU release stated.
“Five of the individuals initially kept in custody since Friday 12th May 2017, which includes the driver and the porters of the truck in question, are to be released this (yesterday) evening on the expiration of 72 hours since their initial detention”.
In addition, the release stated that CANU also seized another batch of lumber, as well as a Digital Video Recording Device (DVR) which may hold crucial evidence.
“CANU has a Digital Video Recording device, retrieved from Nazim Gafoor at Vreed-en-Hoop, WBD, and hope to find material of evidential value after due analysis.
“There was a batch of related dress wood from the very shipper that had already made it onto the wharf, same was retrieved by CANU and each board is currently being drilled by ranks in the compound, thus far no further narcotics were found on the ones examined.”
CANU is preparing to issue a wanted bulletin for bike racer, Steven Vieira and saw mill owner, Naraine Lall.
Vieira and Lall have not yet been contacted. CANU is hereby asking that anyone knowing their whereabouts to make contact with the nearest police station and or CANU Headquarters on 226-0431.
CANU’s investigators are hoping to question the men in relation to the 84.986 kilograms (187.4lbs) of cocaine which were being prepared to be shipped to the United States of America.
Kaieteur News was told that the bust was made after CANU official received a tip off. When they acted, the boards were being packed into the truck.
The truck driver and porters were arrested but were subsequently released after it was discovered that the vehicle and its workers were hired to transport the timber.
Reports are that Vieira is listed on the shipping documents as the representative of Naraine Lall, the shipper. Lall, based on investigation, is allegedly out of the jurisdiction.
The drug agency in a release said that ranks conducted a search at the parapet in front of the premises of Akeem Mohamed of Lot 227 Zeelugt, East Bank Essequibo, and searched a truck laden with several pallets of 1×6 dressed lumber boards prepared for export.
Several pieces of boards were drilled randomly by the ranks and revealed a whitish
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