The Guyana Police Force (GPF) has disclosed an 18.7 percent rise in murders for the year 2023, accompanied by notable decreases in various other serious crimes, including robbery.
Deputy Commissioner of Law Enforcement, Wendell Blanhum, shared these statistics, highlighting the disorderly nature of many offenses, including the tragic incident of the Mahdia Dorm Fire that claimed the lives of 20 children.
From January 1 to November 13, the GPF recorded 133 murders, marking a significant increase from the 108 recorded during the same period the previous year.
Notably, 60 percent of the murder victims were men.
On a positive note, the GPF reported a 15% reduction in robberies, a 23.1% decline in robbery under arms, and a substantial 33.9% decrease in robbery with violence.
Rape cases also saw an 11.6% decrease, while burglary experienced a significant decline of 44.8%.
Blanhum attributed the decline in serious crimes to various policing strategies employed during this period.
These strategies included intelligence-led policing, capacity building, effective use of confidential informants, and the crucial utilization of CCTV monitoring rooms.
In addition to these crime statistics, the GPF reported significant achievements in combating drug-related offenses.
Over 1,400 kilograms of cannabis were seized in 2023, accompanied by the destruction of 131 acres of cannabis fields.
A total of 138 individuals were charged and brought before the court for illegal possession of narcotics, including cocaine.
Moreover, the GPF successfully seized 128 firearms, including pistols, shotguns, revolvers, rifles, and sub-machine guns.
According to Blanhum, 29% of these illegal firearms originated from the United States, followed by 26% from Brazil, with contributions from other countries such as Austria, Italy, Russia, Belgium, and Germany.
Reporting by Trichell Sobers, NCN News