GEORGETOWN, Guyana (AP) Guyana and Suriname say they will jointly patrol a disputed river border to crack down on piracy and smuggling.
The announcement comes after military and police officials met in Suriname to talk about an increase in crime along the Corentyne River on South America's shoulder.
GuyanaRevenue Authority Director Kurshid Sattaur says officials have collected only about $5 million in taxes in the past three years. He says he believes millions of dollars are lost because boats carrying large smuggled goods such as top-shelf liquors and flat screen televisions do not pay import duties.
Guyana Defense Force Chief Rear Admiral Gary Best said late Thursday that the patrols will also extend to the Atlantic Ocean. He says piracy has claimed more than a dozen lives in the past two years.
