In a significant crackdown on cross-border crime, Surinamese law enforcement authorities have intercepted a substantial shipment of smuggled fuel originating from neighboring Guyana. The operation culminated in the arrest of a gas station proprietor in the Nickerie district, located near the strategic Corentyne River border.
According to an official statement released by the Suriname Police Corps, the interception followed a meticulously planned surveillance operation targeting illicit cross-border activities. Officers initially identified a truck loaded with fuel whose distinctive coloration matched specifications used exclusively in Guyana. The vehicle was initially spotted parked at a local gas station on Ramadhar Rajaramweg in the Corantijnpolder district.
Police temporarily withdrew from the scene for preliminary assessments, but upon returning discovered the truck had been moved. Investigators immediately suspected the owner, identified as LR (36), had relocated the contraband to his secondary gas station facility in the Henar district. With coordinated assistance from Paradise police units, authorities successfully intercepted the vehicle on Ir. Mn. Ataoellahweg in Henar.
The subsequent inspection revealed four large square barrels containing approximately 4,000 liters (nearly 880 imperial gallons) of illegal fuel concealed on the truck bed. Both the gas station owner and his employee, MM (39), who were present inside the vehicle, were promptly arrested and transported to Paradise police station for processing. The truck and its illicit cargo were impounded as evidence in the ongoing investigation.
Following consultation with the Public Prosecution Service, the primary suspect has been remanded in custody pending further investigation, while his employee has been released. The case has now been transferred to the West Region Detective Department for comprehensive investigation, highlighting the seriousness with which Surinamese authorities are treating cross-border fuel smuggling operations.