In a major coordinated crackdown on transnational drug trafficking, Suriname’s combined security forces have intercepted a low-profile smuggling vessel carrying roughly 1,600 kilograms of illicit narcotics on the Suriname River, close to the Jules Sedney Harbor, and taken all nine Ghanaian crew members into custody. The operation, carried out on July 10 by the country’s Judicial Intervention Team (JIT), was built on actionable intelligence developed by the Counter Narcotic & Terrorism Intelligence Unit (CNTI), which operates under the Directorate of National Security (DNV).
According to an official press statement released by Suriname’s Public Prosecutor’s Office, following the interception on the water, the vessel and all people on board were escorted to the pier managed by the Suriname Coast Guard and Maritime Authority Service (MAS). At this location, JIT agents, CNTI analysts, and Coast Guard personnel conducted a full, joint search of the craft. The search uncovered the large cache of narcotics hidden in a concealed compartment built into the vessel.
Local Surinamese outlet Starnieuws has additionally confirmed that the intercepted vessel departed from a well-known local fishing enterprise, a detail that points to potential exploitation of legitimate commercial operations by transnational smuggling networks to move illicit goods.
Authorities confirmed that all nine crew members, who hold Ghanaian nationality, were arrested immediately following the discovery of the drugs. The investigation into the broader trafficking network connected to this shipment remains active and ongoing, and law enforcement officials have not ruled out additional arrests as more details of the operation emerge.
In the wake of the interception, the Public Prosecutor’s Office emphasized that Suriname remains unwavering in its commitment to combating transnational organized crime. The statement made clear that the South American nation will not serve as a safe haven for foreign criminal actors or transnational criminal organizations seeking to use its territory for illicit trafficking activities.