The government says there has been progress in combating drug trafficking despite many challenges, but there is yet to be an arrest of a major drug trafficker or the seizure of properties here.
“While many challenges still exist it is clear that progress is being achieved,” according to the first National Drug Report, which was launched by the Home Ministry at Police Headquarters, Eve Leary, on Wednesday. “Our conceptual and organisational approach to the fight against drugs provides numerous opportunities to reduce the threat posed by the world drug problem to Guyana and the region at large,” the report further states, while noting that improved security is one of the government’s goals.
According to the report, as of November 30, last year, the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) and the Guyana Police Force seized over 194,000kgs of cannabis, valued at US$18M, and approximately 140kgs of cocaine, value of US$727,776. It added that 370 grammes of heroin were also seized.
The report said that it must be recognised that the degree of success in the drug fight will depend to a great extent on effective bilateral and multilateral cooperation. It added that the administration continues to explore assistance in satellite coverage from more developed countries to effectively monitor and control the country’s extensive borders, which have been exploited by drug traffickers.
However, it was emphasised that donor community support to Guyana’s efforts in the fight is obligatory as increased provision of technical and financial assistance by the international community is needed to help the country in its fight. The combating of this problem is a costly one and often requires the diversion of funds from other vital sectors of the economy, the report said. It cited the example of the some $900M the government spent last year on the National Intelligence Centre and closed circuit television surveillance systems. It said such measures together with closer collaboration between law enforcement agencies would greatly enhance other national efforts in the drug fight.
The report did, however, note that as a non-consuming country, Guyana has expended more financial resources per capita GDP than many states that possess seemingly “unlimited” resources, financial and otherwise.
National
initiatives
Despite the limitations faced by the country, the report said several programmes of the 2005-2009 National Drug Strategy Master Plan were successfully implemented under four broad areas: supply control; prevention; treatment and rehabilitation; and institutional and managerial framework.
According to the report, 33 of the 36 programmes of the strategy were implemented, with 19 still incomplete and/or still on-going. Preliminary arrangements have already been initiated for the formulation of a new 2011-2016 strategy that will take into account the changing international and domestic drug situation, it added.
The report also said that CANU and the Guyana Police Force have made significant strides in strengthening their approaches as it relates to the drug fight. While the report said that all shipping containers leaving Guyana are subject to security checks of one kind or another, only recently there have been cases of drugs leaving the shores of Guyana on board ships.
Notwithstanding this, the administration said it has taken several measures to boost capacity within law enforcement agencies, which includes the allocation of additional funding to facilitate the acquisition of equipment and heightened surveillance by the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA), which is now responsible for the country’s drug operations at seaports and wharves. Measures have also been implemented at the Guyana Post Office Corporation to prevent smuggling through the post.
In addition, to more effectively fight the problem the government has established an Inter-agency Task Force on Weapons and Illicit Drugs, which comprises representatives from law enforcement agencies inclusive of CANU, the police, army and the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU). It was also noted that the government continues to utilise polygraph testing to purge law enforcement agencies of “undesirable elements.”
In addition to cannabis and cocaine seizures last year, 657 persons were arrested on drug-related charges during the period up to November 30, with 77% of them for cannabis-related offences. Most of the arrested were in the 20 to 34 and 35 and over age groups.
“The significantly large amount of cannabis seized and destroyed in Guyana in 2010 is an indication of the zero tolerance policy and commitment of the government to rid the country of cannabis production. These activities seriously restrict the income of drug dealers in Guyana,” the report said.
It was also noted that some 1,011 cases were successfully prosecuted between the years 2005 and 2010.
Meantime, the trends seen during 2010 regarding the cocaine smuggling methodology of traffickers included the recruitment of foreign nationals to be used as drug mules travelling through the airport.
It was noted that 11 foreign nationals were held at the airport for possession of drugs, with the common methods used involving the swallowing of pellets as well as suitcases with false compartments.
Although drugs continue to leave the airport on a regular basis, the report said that recent adjustments to the placement of sniffer dogs and other intelligence measures at the airport have enhanced surveillance and improved anti-narcotics operations.
