-by Nakasia Logan
Concerns are growing over efforts by international drug traffickers to use Guyana as a transshipment point for narcotics destined for other markets.
Director of the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit, James Singh, says law enforcement agencies, with support from international partners, are stepping up efforts to disrupt these networks.
His comment follows the recent destruction of a quantity of illicit substance worth some four hundred and thirty million dollars.
“The scale at which that group came is an indication to answer your question that yes you should be worried because of efforts to use Guyana as a gateway. I must also thank our international partners the DEA and others who are doing a lot more to help Guyana and to ensure that we do not become that haven for the cartels wishing to move their products through,” he said.
Guyana’s geographic location places it along a key transshipment route for drug trafficking and the CANU Director says there has been an increased push to move narcotics through this country, driven by demand and the higher prices offered in consumer markets.
However he notes that CANU along with other law enforcement agencies have been working to dismantle the network, as was evident with a recent bust that saw some convictions.
“Over the last three weeks we would have conducted a major operation involving a foreign drug trafficking origination that attempted to bring drug into Guyana and then transship it to other territories. Luckily we were able to identify that group, conduct operations and we were able to dismantle, place some of them before the court, there was a successful conviction and the others they are no longer here
Singh says the efforts by CANU, and its counterparts demonstrate that the battle to disrupt these networks are yielding result.