On November 5, interim Minister of Justice and Police Marinus Bee addressed members of Suriname’s National Assembly (DNA) to confirm a verified mercury leak at the Narcotics Brigade facility in the Nieuwe Haven police compound, following urgent parliamentary inquiries into potential public and occupational health risks. The probe was initiated after NDP MP Ebu Jones raised alarms earlier that week, sharing verified tips that 19 seized mercury cylinders stored at the unit showed signs of leakage, posing a direct threat to on-site police staff and detained individuals held in adjacent areas. Bee outlined that as soon as the leak was detected, police leadership launched immediate coordinated assessments in partnership with the National Environment Authority (NMA) and national forensic investigation teams. Following official expert recommendations, the affected storage room has been fully sealed, with all personnel barred from entering the contaminated zone, and a full official incident report is currently being compiled for regulatory review. The incident has exposed a long-unaddressed systemic gap in Suriname’s law enforcement infrastructure: the national police force lacks a permanent, purpose-built facility compliant with international safety standards for storing seized hazardous substances. Minister Bee confirmed that preliminary discussions have already been held with the Public Prosecution Service, as well as local large industrial multinationals, to identify a viable off-site secure storage location for the 19 mercury cylinders, but no final agreement has been reached to date. A proposed short-term stopgap measure would see the toxic mercury moved to a locked, 24/7 monitored shipping container under heavy police guard, though a timeline for implementing this temporary arrangement has not been finalized. Multiple parliamentarians emphasized during the session that past incidents of missing and later recovered seized mercury demonstrate the urgent need for robust safeguards to prevent the toxic heavy metal from falling into unauthorized hands, while ensuring all storage protocols meet global public health and environmental protection benchmarks. MP Jones also highlighted growing concerns over unregulated cross-border mercury smuggling, with evidence of transit flows moving through Suriname from neighboring Guyana, and called for formal bilateral negotiations with Guyanese authorities to crack down on illicit mercury trade, alongside the rollout of a clear, national regulatory framework for managing mercury trafficking. The administration has committed to continuing consultations to deliver a permanent, long-term solution for safe, compliant storage of all hazardous materials seized by law enforcement agencies across the country.
Kwiklekkage Nieuwe Haven bevestigd: ruimte gesloten, nog geen veilige opslag
