Interpol Wanted Suspect Arrested in Georgetown

Interpol Wanted Suspect Arrested in Georgetown

Interpol Wanted Suspect Arrested in Georgetown

Alleged Connection to International Drug Trafficking

A man identified as Vitesh Jamnapersad Guptar, wanted by Interpol, was apprehended by the Guyana Police Force on Thursday at a popular night spot on Main Street, Georgetown. Guptar, a Netherlands national, was residing in the Duke Street area of Kingston, Georgetown, prior to his arrest. He is reported to be a businessperson operating a boutique in a mall within Georgetown.

According to police sources, Guptar is the subject of an Interpol Red Notice and is alleged to have ties to the “Ndrangheta,” one of the world’s largest and most influential mafia organizations, headquartered in Italy. He is said to have been a regular visitor to Guyana and Suriname.

Reports indicate that Guptar’s alleged involvement with the mafia organization included facilitating the smuggling of substantial quantities of cocaine from Brazil, Guyana, and Colombia to Rotterdam and Antwerp, with shipments as large as 200 kilograms. He was reportedly wanted for his purported participation in transnational drug trafficking between January 2015 and June 2018.

It is alleged that Guptar, along with accomplices, engaged in the illegal importation, transportation, possession, and sale of cocaine, sourced from Colombia, Guyana, Brazil, and Suriname, with transit through the Netherlands and Belgium.

Interpol further asserts that Guptar had close ties to a lumber dealer, whose identity has been withheld, based in Georgetown, in 2017. This lumber dealer is also a person of interest in a 2023 drug raid in Italy and is believed to have connections to the mafia.

Italian authorities uncovered that one of the dealers implicated in the case is a cousin of the lumber dealer in Guyana and also works as a freelance real estate agent in Wesseling. Efforts are reportedly underway to extradite Guptar to Italy to face charges related to his alleged involvement in international drug trafficking.

The arrest of Guptar underscores the collaborative efforts between international law enforcement agencies and local authorities to combat transnational organized crime and uphold the rule of law.

Further updates on this developing story will be provided as information becomes available.

Also read Ogle Airport Firefighters Showcase Expertise in Aircraft Firefighting and Rescue Drill