CANU denies lawsuit claims that its agents seized passenger's jewellery at CJIA

The Customs Anti Narcotics Unit (CANU) has distanced itself and its officers from the seizure of the jewellery of an outgoing passenger at the Cheddi Jagan Airport.

The passenger, Richard Ramjit, has since filed a $10 Million lawsuit through his Attorney Anil Nandlall, over his detention and the seizure of his over $4Million worth of personal jewellery.

The lawsuit names the Customs Anti Narcotics Unit of the Guyana Police Force but CANU is insisting that the passenger and his attorney may have gotten their agencies mixed up at the airport.

CANU is separate from the Police Force and its Narcotics Branch and is also not linked to the Customs Department of the Guyana Revenue Authority.

The passenger claims that the officers who pulled him aside for questioning, identified themselves as CANU officers.

But in a statement, the Head of CANU, James Singh disputed that and said officers of CANU are always clearly identified and would carry their identification badges at all times.

CANU deals with drug interception.

Mr. Singh said the officers involved in the case are not members the unit and were never members of the unit, adding that “no CANU Officer was involved in that operation at any time.”

He reiterated that “CANU officers on duty are uniformed and display their issued Identification card with their names.”

In the lawsuit, Ramjit said he is a goldsmith and has traveled through the Cheddi Jagan Airport countless times with his two pieces of jewellery which carry a cost of over $4 Million and was never stopped or questioned.

He said he was accused of gold smuggling and even forced to subject his suitcases for additional checks after he was pulled aside by the Customs Department following the probe by the first group of officers.

The lawsuit claims that the jewellery was seized, Ramjit missed his flight and he was told that the Special Organised Crime Unit will be probing the gold smuggling allegations.