said to be from Alness Village

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Berbice police, acting on a tip-off, made a dramatic arrest yesterday of a suspected pirate in Saturday’s high seas attack on a fishing boat.The suspect was believed to have been staking out the Number 66 Fisherman’s Co-op where a seized boat used in the attack was under guard.Sources said that police ranks from Springlands came to collect the boat yesterday morning for evidence. While there, they reportedly received a phone call claiming that one of the “pirates” was in a drinking spot next door.The ranks descended on the rum shop and the suspect, said to be from Alness Village, Corentyne, attempted to run. However, police ranks fired warning shots and were able to arrest him.This is the second arrest following one on Monday where a woman, believed to be related to the suspected pirate, made attempts to claim the boat from the co-op.However, according to fishing officials, the story was “fishy” and the woman has been handed over to the police since the boat in question was believed to have been in use in a crime.According to Pravinchandra Deodat, head of the Berbice anti-piracy squad which was established in 2008 after a spate of piracy attacks almost crippled the industry, the matter is being viewed as a very serious one since it is threatening the very existence of the fishing industry in Berbice.Several persons are now being fingered as possible pirates.“We know for a fact that some of them are selling salted fish for a living. However, when you investigate where they getting the fish from, you realize something is wrong,” one fishing official said yesterday.There are also beliefs that some legitimate fishermen are also taking up piracy as a “side thing” and these cases are the more difficult ones to crack.The piracy attack in Berbice on Saturday saw armed fishermen on Sunday almost capturing the attackers, after taking matters into their own hands, and recovering a boat containing stolen fish and glue.Angry members of the Berbice anti-piracy squad criticized the no-show of the Coast Guard. The Coast Guard has reportedly said that its ranks did turn up, but the fishermen had already left. The fishermen claimed that it was only after the suspected pirates were spotted and calls were made for police back-up that help was forthcoming.Pirates, armed with a shot-gun, “long gun” and a hand gun, robbed an East Coast Demerara fisherman and his five crew members while they were at sea in the vicinity of Number 43 Village, Berbice. They helped themselves to fish, fish glue, a GPS device, fuel, engine and clothing belonging to the men.Deodat disclosed that on Sunday, around 10:00hrs, he received a call about the robbery at Number 43 Village.Calls were made to the Coast Guard in the area but a rank there said that the authorisation for back-up would have to come from senior officials. However, despite a promise for a rank to be made available, none was forthcoming.At 12:00hrs, a team of fishermen, armed with guns, took to sea, all alone, to track down the pirates.It was in the vicinity of Adventure, Corentyne Coast, that the armed fishermen spotted a boat anchored just off the shore. On approaching, they saw three persons on board who jumped off and started heading off toward the shore.According to Deodat, the party decided to pull back and from about half a mile away began observations of the suspicious boat. Their reconnaissance paid off.The three men returned to the boat and restarted their activities.“We decided that we will investigate as the men appeared suspicious.”According to Deodat, calls were made to the Berbice Commander of Police, Steve Merai, who immediately took action and sent off a team of police to the area.The armed fishermen approached the boat again and this time the men onboard hurriedly jumped overboard and disappeared into the bushes lining the shore.On board the suspicious boat, several items, including fuel, gasoline and fish, later identified by the hijacked fishermen, were found. The boat was taken to the Number 43 Village fishing co-operatives.A search in the bushes found no traces of the men and no weapons were recovered.