In the investigation into the theft of eleven cylinders of mercury from Geyersvlijt police station, four police officers and one civilian have been remanded in custody. The Public Prosecution Service reports that requests for release by three police officers have been rejected by two judicial bodies.
The Public Prosecution Service (OM) provided an update on the widely discussed mercury case on Tuesday, October 13, 2026. According to the OM, four police officers and one civilian have been remanded in custody in connection with the investigation into the disappearance of eleven cylinders of seized mercury. Three police officers attempted to obtain their release, but their requests were rejected by both the investigating judge and the Court of Justice.
The OM stresses that the criminal investigation is still ongoing. The new information makes clear that the case, which has drawn public attention since late May, has not yet been concluded. The judicial authorities have so far provided no further details on the investigation’s findings or the expected completion of the case file.
The OM’s statement follows public questions about the progress of several high-profile criminal cases. In doing so, the OM responded to a column that criticised the handling of criminal investigations and the need for clarity from society.
Mercury case: three requests for release rejected
An important development in the mercury case is that three of the detained police officers have taken legal steps to regain their freedom. According to the OM, the requests were rejected by both the investigating judge and the Court of Justice. The police officers concerned have therefore not yet been granted permission to end their pretrial detention.
The OM has not disclosed which three police officers submitted the requests. Nor has it explained on what specific grounds the judicial bodies rejected them. The rejections do not mean that those concerned have been found guilty. Their possible criminal liability still has to be determined.
Eleven mercury cylinders disappeared from police storage
The mercury case came to light on May 29, 2026, when a police officer discovered that the key to a storage container at the rear of Geyersvlijt police station no longer fit the lock. Further investigation raised the suspicion that the original lock had been forced open and replaced with another lock.
A check showed that eleven of the fifteen stored cylinders containing mercury had disappeared. According to police information provided at the time, each cylinder weighed 35.80 kilograms. The missing cylinders therefore represent a combined weight of approximately 394 kilograms, including the weight of the cylinders. The mercury had previously been seized by police and was stored under the management of the Fraud Department.
Three police officers remain in custody after their requests for release were rejected by two judicial bodies.
First police officers arrested in September
The investigation took an important turn on September 18 when two police officers from the Fraud Department were arrested. They were R.C. and A.K., who were remanded in custody after consultation with the Public Prosecution Service. Police spokesperson Michel Elskamp confirmed to Key News at the time that the Kapitale Delicten Department was conducting the investigation.
Two days later, on September 20, a third police officer was arrested. This concerned C.B., who works at the Regio Bijstand Team Paramaribo (RBTP). According to police, he emerged as a suspect during the continued investigation. This police officer was also remanded in custody after consultation with the OM.
Sub-inspector and suspected mercury trader arrested
On September 22, two more suspects were arrested. One of them was sub-inspector J.B., also employed by the Fraud Department. According to the Korps Politie Suriname, he was responsible for managing the container in which the seized mercury was stored.
The other suspect, M.S., was linked by police to suspected trade in mercury and illegal firearms. Police announced at the time that both men had been remanded in custody. This brought the number of arrested police officers to four. Key News previously reported extensively on these arrests.
Nine people arrested in total during investigation
Since the start of the investigation, a total of nine people have been arrested, according to earlier police information. Before the four police officers and M.S. were arrested, four other individuals had emerged as suspects. Three of them were released after questioning. A fourth person was initially remanded in custody, but was later released by the OM.
The OM’s latest statement confirms that four police officers and one civilian have been remanded in custody. This also makes clear that not all persons arrested during the investigation remain in custody. No details have been disclosed about possible new suspects or additional criminal proceedings.
Investigation into missing mercury remains important
An important question in the mercury case is where the eleven missing cylinders are located. Police previously stated that the investigation is not focused solely on possible involvement in the theft, but also on determining the whereabouts of the mercury. The OM’s latest statement does not mention whether the missing batch has since been recovered.
This is also important from an environmental perspective. Mercury is a toxic substance that can have serious consequences for people and the environment if used carelessly. According to the Wereldgezondheidsorganisatie (WHO), exposure to mercury can have harmful effects on, among other things, the nervous system, kidneys and lungs.
OM gives no end date yet for mercury case
The case has also raised questions about the management of seized goods within the Korps Politie Suriname. After all, the missing cylinders were located on police premises and stored under the responsibility of a police department. The arrest of four police officers makes the matter particularly sensitive.
For the time being, the OM has not named a date by which the investigation must be completed. Nor has it been announced when any substantive hearing before the criminal court will take place. As long as the investigation continues, the persons involved remain suspects and the principle applies that they are innocent until their guilt has been legally and convincingly proven.
The coming period will have to show what further steps the OM takes, whether the investigation leads to prosecution and whether clarity will emerge about the whereabouts of the missing batch of mercury.
