Accused by self-confessed drug trafficker Barry Dataram of involvement in the drug trade and corruption, the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) last evening issued a denial and called on him to provide sworn statements for past and ongoing investigations.
CANU head James Singh made the call in a statement issued in response to allegations made by the Dataram family in an interview broadcast on last evening’s edition of HGPTV Channel 67’s Nightly News, which aired an exclusive interview with Barry Dataram and Troy Dataram.
“CANU vehemently denies all allegations of impropriety levelled against the unit by the Dataram family,” Singh said.
“CANU welcomes further public confessions of criminal elements. CANU urges the citizenry to stand up, speak out, to have the tenacity to testify against the elements of the narcotic trade; and help the unit make Guyana a safer place!” he added.
‘Yes, I do drugs’
During the interview, Dataram admitted his own involvement in the drug trade but added that he had never been convicted for a criminal charge. “Yes, I do drugs. I wouldn’t say lie but I have never been convicted,” Dataram said proudly.
Dataram has been arrested several times but has escaped the clutches of United States law enforcement after an extradition attempt failed.
Additionally, Dataram, who said he is a businessman, accused a high ranking CANU official of being involved in the drug trade and added that the rank would take as much as $10 million to allow cocaine to leave the country. He said that drug lords would pay $5 million before the shipment and the remaining would be paid after the shipment.
Dataram also alleged that the majority of the drugs that is seized by CANU returns to the streets. He said that he knew of the action because of his involvement and his friends’ involvement in the trade.
“I know what is going on in the streets… I know what is going on in CANU… them is the enemies and they have to know that just like how they got things on me I get things on them,” he said.
“CANU, them is the most corrupted, rogue security force in this country. They are the biggest drug dealer this country has. The same drug that they seize, half of it goes back on the street,” he added.
Unease
In response, Singh suggested a link between Dataram’s allegations and what it considered to be his “unease” over the commencement of his trial last month for the alleged possession of a large quantity of cocaine that was found concealed in shrimp at his Diamond house.
Dataram, his wife and two friends, who were held during a raid of the Diamond Housing Scheme property, are charged with possession of 284 pounds of cocaine for trafficking.
Singh, however, added that the agency welcomed Dataram’s “frank confessions” on his involvement in the drug trade and urged him and others “to provide useful intelligence (by way of a sworn statement)” to authorities for past and ongoing investigations and operations.
Meanwhile, Troy Dataram, during the interview, accused ranks of the unit of stealing $3 million of $12 million and other valuables that were seized from his home on February 18. He said that while being in custody of CANU at its headquarters, investigators counted the money in his presence and he realised some of the money was missing.
Responding to the allegation, Singh, however, said that the man’s concerns had been investigated by an agency “disconnected” from CANU and the man had signed to a handwritten transcript of a lengthy interview conducted by the independent investigator in relation to the alleged theft. He said the man admitted to lying to the investigator about the quantity of cash retrieved in the operation and instead affirmed that it was in fact $9 million that was retrieved in the operation.
