Joint Services destroy illegal airstrip - -- after foreign aircraft spotted

Guyana Chronicle6 May 2007THE Army and Police were yesterday continuing a joint operation todestroy an illegal airstrip discovered near Orealla on the CorentyneRiver after a foreign aircraft was spotted in the area, officialsources confirmed yesterday.An Army officer said the Joint Services operation was launched Fridayafternoon and is expected to continue today.Initial indications are that the airstrip may have been used by acocaine smuggling network and security officers were looking intoreports that persons armed with high-powered AK-47 rifles were seennear the illegal airstrip.Guyana Defence Force troops have been deployed in the border regionwith Suriname before on similar missions and destroyed an illegalairstrip used by drug smuggling gangs about a year ago.A source said residents alerted officials after they spotted anaircraft that was “not local” in the area Friday and troops weredispatched in the joint operation.Men with AK-47 rifles have been seen around the airstrip at the smallcommunity of Arabe, off Orealla, a community located 53 miles up theCorentye River overlooking Suriname, a source said.Army sources added that a quantity of aviation fuel, cooking utensilsand personal hygiene items were also found in the vicinity of theairstrip.