Over 6,700 kg of narcotics seized, destroyed by CANU in 2024

…Home Affairs Minister calls for greater collaboration among int’l community

The Customs Anti Narcotic Unit (CANU) last year seized and destroyed some 6,700 Kilograms (kg) of narcotics.

The confiscation of these illegal substances was highlighted by Home Affairs Minister Robeson Benn during his Ministry’s year end press conference.
The Minister noted that due to ramped up inspections and investigations by CANU, a significant number of illegal substances were seized last year.
The Minister noted that of the 6,000 kg of substances confiscated, cocaine amounts for more than 90 per cent of the findings, followed by cannabis and methamphetamine respectively, these drugs amounted to some $5.6 billion.
“There was indeed dramatic findings, discovery, recovery and destruction by the unit of some 6000 kilograms of narcotics of all kinds. Cocaine was 5094.67 kilograms. Much of it the big bust in the northwest and for cannabis 1643.45 kilograms and methamphetamine 92 grams…so we have had a dramatic increase in the cocaine seizures and also in relation to the work against drug trafficking, drug growing the cannabis.”
This is a significant increase when compared to the 1363 kilograms of narcotics netted in 2023.
For the year 2024, a total of 71 cases were made with regards to illegal substances from which there were 82 arrests. This is a decrease from the previous year, whereby there were 93 cases made. Moreover, for last year, there were 54 charges laid in relation to drug trafficking however, 11 were either withdrawn or dismissed.
Moreover, Minister Benn noted that there is no high demand for these illegal substances in Guyana and that rather, the country is being used as a transshipment hub for the narco-trade. In this regard, he called for increased collaboration among the international community in a bid to end the drug trafficking ring.
“This is the question that we pose to our international partners too, how can they help us to work on issues of demand reduction the demand is not in Guyana for cocaine or for marijuana/ganga in the quantities which are being produced in some places, the demand is elsewhere.”
Benn added, “We are afflicted by this demand and we would like to get more support, while there is a lot of support in terms of training, information, visits and conferences we would like to see more physical support. We would like to see support in terms of radar coverage, we would like to see more support to the police and CANU in relation to vehicles and planes, and the other specialised testing equipment in relation to the question of drugs.”
Meanwhile, last year following the massive drug bust at the Clandestine Airstrip in Region One (Barima-Waini), the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) has disclosed that the cocaine found amounted to some 4.4 tonnes with a street value of some €176 million (G40.7 billion).
The narcotics, which were found hidden in several bunkers around the illegal airstrip near Matthew’s Ridge, were destroyed after samples were extracted for further investigations. This operation was a collaboration between the local Joint Services and the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
Law enforcement officials believe that the drugs were brought to Guyana from neighbouring country/countries and were stored until further transshipment to Europe.