Farmer busted with $489M worth of ganja remanded
A 37-year-old farmer, who was busted with $489 million worth of marijuana at DeVeldt Savannah in the Berbice River, was on Tuesday remanded to prison.
Richard “Richie” Burnett of Wiruni Village, Upper Berbice River, was hauled before Magistrate Renita Singh at the New Amsterdam Magistrate’s Court. He denied the charge and was remanded to prison until December 6, 2022.
Police had said that a joint-narcotics eradication exercise by law enforcement agencies at DeVeldt Savannah led to the discovery of the marijuana and two shotguns.
During the exercise, one marijuana farm, two camps, and two drying areas were located. The farm measured about four acres, with about 20,000 cannabis plants measuring from six inches to two feet.
Burnett was found on the farm attending to the cannabis plants and was arrested. When the ranks searched the first camp, a suspected 12-gauge shotgun was loaded with three live cartridges and documents belonging to the farmer.
A search was also conducted on the second camp, where a suspected 12-gauge shotgun and four live twelve-gauge cartridges were found. Searches were then conducted on the two drying areas, and a quantity of dry cannabis was found with an estimated weight of about 800 pounds.
A gasoline plow, several farming tools, and a spray can were also found in the camp. The plants, camps and drying areas, farming tools, and spray were all destroyed by fire.
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