Law enforcement authorities in Guyana continue to face some real challenges in relation to tackling the issue of drug trafficking and the related problems that come with such activity. While there have been man successes at preventing traffickers from being successful in carrying out these illegal acts, there is still a far way to go if Guyana is to boast about putting a real dent on drug trafficking.
International and regional institutions have been trying for quite some time now to come up with a strategy that would seek to reverse this growing threat, but traffickers are becoming smarter and are using other methods to “beat the system,” thereby creating more difficulties for law enforcement agencies.
Counter-drug efforts have pushed traffickers to use new routes through the Caribbean, as they seek to ship illegal drugs from South America into the United States and Europe and other destinations. It is no secret that in the past, large amounts of drugs have transited in and out of Guyana on cargo and other ships. Cocaine is often concealed in legitimate commodities and smuggled via commercial maritime vessels, air transport, human couriers, “go-fast” boats or various postal methods.
On of the largest drug bust emanating from Guyana was in 2020 when Belgian authorities had intercepted a vessel that allegedly left Guyana with a whooping 11.5 tonnes of cocaine – which has a street value of some US$1B.
The counter-narcotics prosecutors had tracked the transatlantic journey of the illicit item from Guyana, and seized it upon its arrival at the Port of Antwerp, Belgium. The drugs were disguised as scrap metal and placed inside a steel container, which was, in turn, packed into a sea container and loaded into a transatlantic vessel.
Based on the report, the massive load of cocaine left Guyana in October 2020, and prosecutors were able to track it following the dismantlement of a drug trafficking gang led by a former Belgian counter-narcotics chief, which revealed the existence of tight-knit links between criminal gangs and counter-narcotics and law enforcement officials.
On a regular basis, we hear stories of persons, carrying illegal drugs, slipping through our ports here undetected; it is only when they arrive at their destination that they are discovered with the illegal substance. While these ‘pushers’ find it easy to bribe their way through the system here, it is very difficult to do so in foreign jurisdictions, except in rare cases where there is a huge network of connections to allow the illegal drugs to pass smoothly.
In 2023, Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit seized approximately 1363.28kg of narcotics, consisting of cannabis, cocaine, ecstasy and hashish that had a total value of $461.5 million.
Cannabis has been the most confiscated drug, accounting for 94 per cent of the total narcotics seized for the year, with approximately 73 separate seizures amounting to 1,287.88 kilograms.
Earlier this month, Director of CANU, James Singh had said that the agency is making significant strides in combatting illegal narcotics with its efforts resulting in denting the drug trade both locally and internationally.
A key report on the global fight against drug trafficking and money laundering, which was released by the United States Department of State had noted that Guyana has a long road ahead in combating the drug scourge.
The report, titled “International Narcotics Control Strategy Report (INCSR)” had said that Guyana is a transit country for cocaine destined for the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, Europe and West Africa. Traffickers are no doubt attracted by this country’s poorly monitored ports, remote airstrips, intricate river networks, porous land borders, and weak security sector capacity.
Drug trafficking and related criminal activities represent one of the most potent threats to stability. It undermines the rule of law and governance. We therefore urge the authorities continue to step up their efforts in putting a dent on drug smuggling and related crimes.
There is optimism that this trade will be greatly impacted locally with Head of CANU saying ‘What we’re doing here in Guyana is making an impact (on) the drug trade…The fact that we have seized a lot more drugs destined for overseas, be it marijuana and cocaine in different regions of the country, is an indication that the systems we have in place are working, especially the partnerships that we have with local law enforcement agencies here in Guyana is making a difference.”
