“Guyana not a place to do business” – authorities warn narcotraffickers

– as CANU destroys over $4B in seized drugs

Guyanese authorities are sending a strong message to narcotics traffickers that they will lose billions of dollars in investments if they continue to use the country as a transhipment destination to push drugs across the region as well as internationally.
This warning came as the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) on Saturday destroyed some 926.56 kilograms (kg) of drugs seized during various operations from 2022 to 2024. The narcotics, which included 618.26 kg of cocaine and 308.30 kg of cannabis along with small quantities of methamphetamine and ecstasy, are valued at over $710 million on the local market and more than $4 billion internationally.
The drug destruction exercise took place at an empty lot along Homestretch Avenue in Georgetown – a short distance from CANU’s headquarters. It was witnessed by Home Affairs Minister Oneidge Walrond along with other officials.
According to Minister Walrond, this exercise sends a very strong signal to drug traffickers that Guyana should no longer be used for transhipment.
“Guyana is not the place to make this kind of investment because this is hundreds of millions of dollars going up in smoke, literally. And so, it sends that clear message that Guyana is very serious about our country being used as a transhipment point, and we will seize and destroy your drugs. What drug traffickers will consider a great investment is going up in flames?” the Home Affairs Minister emphasised.

Meanwhile, similar sentiments were shared by the Director of CANU, James Singh, who declared, “We want to highlight the fact that Guyana is not a place to do business. If you try to bring it in, we will stop it.”
He pointed out that most of the drugs that were seized, especially the cocaine, were meant to be transhipped, mainly to Europe or to West Africa and then onwards, while the marijuana was going mainly to various parts of the Caribbean.
“It clearly shows that, despite the fact that – as it’s labelled – we have porous borders, we’re still intercepting the drugs when they get into the country and preventing them from being further transhipped, whether it’s off the coast of Africa, Europe, or even the United States,” Singh noted.
The CANU head went on to point out that this success in arresting the drug trade within the local borders is as a direct result of the continuous support that the Guyana Government gives to both his unit and the Guyana Police Force.
He added too that many of the operations where these drugs were confiscated were carried out in close cooperation with colleagues from Suriname, the United States (US)’s Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the French.
“This, again, is an indication that CANU, while we are working locally, are also working internationally with colleagues to put a dent in the drug trade… And the fact that we have not seen seizures outside of Guyana is a demonstration that what we’re doing is effective,” the CANU Director stated.
Only on Friday night, CANU seized over 52 lbs of cocaine at Hydronie, Parika, on the East Bank of Essequibo.
Singh told reporters on Saturday that an overseas-based Guyanese is involved in that matter.

The more than 926 kg of narcotics destroyed on Saturday were drugs that were previously used as exhibits in a number of court cases – all of which have since been completed.
Just last month, Singh disclosed that CANU had taken more than 1600 kilograms of narcotics off the streets so far this year. These narcotics, including some 112 kg of cocaine and 1500 kg of marijuana seized up to October 9, 2025, were estimated at over GY$1.5 billion if they had reached the US and over GY$2 billion once they reached Europe.
With Guyana mainly used as a transhipment destination, the CANU Head had stressed that local authorities have been making major dents in the regional drug trade network. However, he pointed out that more than the seizure is gathering tangible evidence that could hold up in court as well as lead to masterminds in the drug trade network.
Previously, Singh had revealed that the majority of the narcotics found in Guyana originate from Venezuela for transhipment to other parts of the world, such as North America, West Africa and Europe.
Initially, these drugs were mainly being shipped to North America, but there has since been a shift in the destinations given that the US is clamping down on drug trade in the region.
In fact, the Trump Administration is currently carrying out a major operation offshore Venezuela to block drugs from leaving the Spanish-speaking nation.