A major seizure of illegal firearms has been carried out by law enforcement authorities in Guyana, with 10 modified AK-47 assault rifles recovered and a suspect taken into custody following a multi-location search operation, the Guyana Police Force announced in an official statement Saturday. The incident was first detailed by local outlet Demerara Waves Online News, with the latest update published by Denis Chabrol on May 23, 2026.
The operation unfolded during a routine stop-and-search security exercise conducted along the Berbice River Bridge Access Road between the hours of 1 a.m. and 4:30 a.m. Friday. As officers carried out patrol checks, they attempted to pull over a black Toyota Fielder Wagon, registered under the plate HC 9018. Instead of complying with the police order, the vehicle’s driver fled the scene, speeding eastward to evade detainment.
Acting on actionable intelligence gathered after the escape, investigative teams expanded their search to the No. 11 Village Public Road in Corentyne, Berbice. It was at this location that officers uncovered the cache of assault rifles: the 10 weapons were carefully wrapped in layers of plastic and cloth, intentionally concealed from discovery.
Forensic preliminary examination of the seized firearms confirmed they are chambered for 7.62x39mm ammunition, matching the specifications of standard AK-47 rifles. Investigators also noted clear evidence of tampering: sections of the weapons had been altered in an attempt to remove or obscure the original manufacturer serial numbers, a common tactic used by illegal arms traffickers to prevent weapons from being traced.
Following the recovery, the entire cache was transported under armed escort to the Central Police Station, where the weapons have been secured as evidence pending the outcome of ongoing investigations. In the hours after the seizure, law enforcement tracked down the identity of the fleeing driver, confirmed to be a 33-year-old taxi driver resident in Goed Fortuin, West Bank Demerara.
The suspect was subsequently located and intercepted in the same black Toyota Fielder Wagon at Nabaclis, located on the East Coast of Demerara, and taken into police custody without further incident. Investigators also identified a second vehicle believed to be linked to the weapons smuggling operation: a white Toyota Runx registered under plate PSS 4272. The second vehicle was found abandoned at Second Street in Savannah Park, New Amsterdam, Berbice, around 6 a.m. Friday and was also impounded by authorities.
As of Saturday’s update, the detained suspect remains in police custody, with investigators continuing to piece together details of the cache’s origin, intended destination, and any potential co-conspirators linked to the illegal weapons network.