The drug trade here cannot be crippled unless the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has the backing of the judiciary and the police and there is international cooperation, according to Regional Director Matthew Donahue who today expressed confidence in a successful tenure in Guyana.
“It doesn’t do us much good to arrest a guy with heroin or cocaine or crack on the street if we can’t bring that back to the entire organisation and use the judicial system here and the judicial support that police enjoy here to bring the entire organisation down”, he said during an opening ceremony for the long-awaited DEA Guyana office. The office is located at the US embassy.
The official presence of the DEA here comes at a time when Guyana continues to be seen as a major transshipment point with large quantities of drugs particularly cocaine passing through on its way to the US, Europe, Africa and the Middle East. Authorities here have managed often times to catch the couriers but the “big fish” are yet to be arrested and prosecuted.
For years there had been attempts to have a DEA office here but this had been held up for various reasons and the former PPP/C government had also been accused of not wanting a DEA office stationed here. Guyana now joins a number of countries in the Caribbean and Latin American Region with a permanent DEA office.
Donahue who is in charge of the Region and who is based in Columbia, told a gathering comprising top judicial members, law enforcement personnel and the diplomatic corps that the DEA cannot win the fight alone.
“We have nothing to hide. We put it out on the table. We know we are going to take our losses. We know nothing is easy…but if we don’t do it what is your community going to look like?” he asked while highlighting the need to build relationships and goals
According Donahue the opening of the Guyana office is an opportunity to showcase what can be accomplished on an international scale. “One thing to understand about the DEA and what we are going to bring to your country and the police and the military…we look at things internationally. We don’t focus just on the small time drug traffickers, we focus on internationally, who is gonna be bringing the drugs into the country and who is taking the drugs out of the country…we are not coming in here just to support the police”, he said.
According to Donahue, the DEA will be bringing a lot of training and experience to Guyana, pointing out that experienced persons have been incorporated into the Guyana set up. “DEA is not a big agency. It is influential. They work hard. We make sacrifices”, he said after adverting to the knowledge and experience that US Ambassador to Guyana Perry Holloway brings.
Holloway has over 26 years’ experience working on counter narcotics programmes in various countries. His last posting was as Political-Military Counselor at the U.S. Embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan.
He said that the DEA doesn’t look at drug traffickers as drug traffickers. “If you believe that that is all they are we are not going to win the fight against drug traffickers because they are the same people that are human trafficking…illegally mining gold… illegally mining minerals, that are committing the assassinations. They are all a criminal organisation that works transnational throughout the region”, he said.
He said that the DEA likes to be a bridge so as to be able to have an exchange of information and cooperation between and among countries.
“That is why you have conspiracy laws… cooperation. Support between governments. It’s a worldwide problem tied into terrorism”, he said.
Turning his attention to the semi-submersible vessel that was discovered in the Region One area in August 2014, Donahue pointed out that one should not conclude that that is the only one.
“If you think that is the only one …I mean we got to get our head out the sand…” he said.
There is a belief that the vessel was built for transporting drugs to Europe or Africa. So far the authorities here have been unable to pinpoint who owns it. The vessel has since been transported to the United States for analysis.
“Guyana is not a source country but what I hear is you have a drug problem. You have a transportation problem. You have a crime problem”, he said.
“I promise you this. We are gonna be successful. We are gonna work hard”, he charged.
Deterrent
Minister of Public Security Khemraj Ramjattan said that the mere presence of the DEA here will have a deterring effect. “The fact that such an important institution, such an important drug interdiction unit is here and though it may not have any police powers their presence alone and knowing their capacities…getting the networks and to disrupt those networks are so very important”, he said.
Ramjattan said that an analysis into the reason for such a high rate of crime and violence in Guyana shows that it is “largely because of drugs”. He said that in this regard it is important to come up with the necessary resources to ensure we can counter crime and violence.
He said that with the DEA here there will be a number of other benefits in the form of training for the various law enforcement and drug fighting institutions. The prison system he said is also in line for some training from the US authorities.
“These training programmes are going to help the capacity and capabilities of our police force, our prison service”, he said, before expressing certainty that the training will be expanded to the judiciary.
According to Ramjattan, another benefit is that information on gold smuggling and money laundering will be had.
“This country loses a huge amount of revenue as a result of those smuggling and laundering money”, he said.
He ended by assuring the US ambassador and the DEA that Guyana is a friend.
“I want to say that you have a friend in this administration and this country”, he said.
Meanwhile, Holloway said that when dealing with narcotics trafficking or any organised crime, there is the need for the “three legs of the judicial stool”; police, prosecutors and judiciary. He said that private sector and the public are also important to the fight.
Attempting to clear up the misconceptions about the work and role of the DEA, Holloway said that the members do not have the authority to arrest anyone or kick down doors or drag people from their cars. He said that they are here to advise and assist. He said that the primary focus of the DEA officials would be on cases which have to do with a crime happening or will happen in the United States.
He added that in the course of their work the DEA may come across lots of information which may not have a US nexus but he assured that it will be shared with the relevant local authorities. He stressed that the work of the DEA is complicated as the “bad guys” are smart, motivated, well-funded and do not play by the rules. He said that many of the cases that the DEA work on are complex as they often involve financial crimes, smuggling, tax evasion, weapons and drugs.
“It’s a very complicated issue. So one shouldn’t expect results overnight but should certainly expect in the coming months …and years. I think we will begin to see some results…but you need to give em time to get the job done”, he said.
He noted too that details of a law enforcement operation cannot always be shared with the press as this will result in the “bad guys” becoming aware and increasing their chances of avoiding arrest.
