A senior police source told the DAILY NATION yesterday that although intelligence investigations indicated the weapons and over 80 pounds of marijuana were intended for delivery in neighbouring Antigua, the aircraft's next port of call, the surfacing of grenades as part of a drug shipment had become a major worry for law enforcement officers in this region.

Refusing to go into further details, the source said while it had become a normal routine for drug traffickers to resort to firearms of all types to protect their illegal trade, the turn to hand grenades was something new.

Intelligence reports indicated Friday's intended shipment, which was intercepted at Guyana's Cheddi Jagan International Airport, was believed to be the result of a recent string of robberies among drug traffickers in Antigua.

Passenger detained

Guyana police intercepted two suitcases with the drugs and illegal weapons and detained a Berbice schoolteacher, who was a passenger on the LIAT flight, along with airport workers.

According to reports, along with a suitcase which was checked in and tagged with her name, authorities also discovered two others carrying her name with the illegal cargo as well.

However, sources said Guyana investigators now believed the woman was unknowingly targetted by drug traffickers to transport the drugs and weapon cache as part of her luggage.

Up to late yesterday no charges had been brought against the woman but Guyanese police were still questioning two airport workers detained since the discovery last Friday night. (TS)