Miner Arrested in Bartica for Possession of Firearm

Miner Arrested in Bartica for Possession of Firearm

Miner Arrested in Bartica for Possession of Firearm

Fernando Fredericks, a 29-year-old miner from Old Scheme Tuschen, East Bank Essequibo, found himself in police custody after being arrested by authorities at the Bartica Stelling on March 22nd, 2024. The arrest occurred while Fredericks was traveling as a passenger in a speedboat bound for Parika.

During the arrest, Fredericks threw an object he had in his possession into the river. Subsequently, he was taken to the Bartica Police Station for questioning. Initially, Fredericks claimed that the bag contained marijuana, but later confessed that it actually held a firearm, which he had disposed of in a panic.

Further interrogation revealed that Fredericks had purchased the firearm from an individual in Venezuela and concealed it near Puruni Landing. He admitted to retrieving the firearm with the intention of seeking revenge against a man who had discharged rounds in front of his mother’s house on the Essequibo Coast.

Following his confession, police accompanied Fredericks to Puruni to identify the location where he had retrieved the firearm. Later, with the assistance of a diver, authorities were able to recover the firearm—a 9mm Luger—in a black bag from the river at the Bartica Stelling on March 24th, 2024. The firearm contained five rounds of 9mm ammunition, and no visible serial number was observed.

Fredericks was informed of the charges against him and remains in custody, cooperating with the ongoing investigation. The firearm and ammunition have been securely packaged and lodged as evidence by the police.

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