Two weeks after the anti-narcotic authorities with the assistance of the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) unearthed 4.4 tonnes of cocaine in bunkers at Matthews Ridge there has been virtual silence on who might have been responsible and what is to be done to root out such operations.
The silence is not surprising given that in the past major busts have occurred without substantial disclosures. In this case there may be good reason for radio silence as operations may still be ongoing. The public has been made aware that persons who participated in the clandestine operations had fled into the jungle on August 31st and could still pose a threat or regroup for another operation.
Still, as this newspaper’s editorial of September 7 made clear, “…it is important that the public be given all of the unclassified information and that there is evidence of a robust investigation to uncover any local ties to this network. This was not the garden variety of cocaine operations. A haul of 4.4 tons positioned in bunkers and packaged the way it was is the hallmark of one of the Colombian cartels so the authorities have a formidable adversary who may not be dissuaded from further operations”.
Indeed, the UK Royal Navy announced on Thursday that the HMS Trent – which visited here last year on an important mission – had made a huge cocaine seizure on August 26th south of the Dominican Republic. The interception of a semi-submersible with the cocaine occurred five days before the seizure here in the northwest. It is believed that the cocaine that was found here was to be shipped to Europe using a semi-submersible so there are interesting parallels. Are there similarities in the type of cocaine and packaging found in the two locations? According to the BBC, 11 suspects were arrested and the boarding team off the Dominican Republic comprised US Coast Guard personnel, Royal Marines and specialist sailors. The authorities here must seek more information on this operation.
Initially the Customs Anti-Narcotic Unit (CANU) had said that one person had been held following the Matthews Ridge operation. That person has since been released and there has been no word on any further detention. There has however been one development which has not been clearly linked to anything but which must be explained. It has been reported that the Police Commander for Region One, Himnauth Sawh was abruptly replaced by Senior Superintendent, Krishnadat Ramana. Mr Sawh has not been accorded command of another region but has now been named as the Head of the Transport Workshop, unlikely to have been a promotion. The rather sudden switch in commanders would raise the question as to whether Mr Sawh had been demoted as a result of not being aware of what had transpired in the region.
The police had notably not been present during the joint Guyana Defence Force/CANU/DEA on September 1st at Matthews Ridge even though Mr Sawh was present that day. The optics of the situation and subsequent chatter had resulted in CANU issuing a public statement on its relationship with the police force.
“Contrary to reports circulating in the public domain, the Director of the Customs Anti-Narcotic Unit (CANU) Mr. James Singh, informed the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Clifton Hicken, and other Senior Police Officers that an operation was ongoing in Region One (1) area.
“The Commissioner of Police proceeded to offer his support to the ongoing operation if needed. CANU being a part of (the) Joint Services, enjoys a close working relationship with all sister agencies and regularly conducts joint operations and information sharing with these agencies. CANU remains resolute in the fight against drug trafficking in Guyana and will continue to pursue its mandate and support other sister agencies”, a statement from CANU said.
Removal of the commander would certainly be appropriate if he and his retinue in the northwest were oblivious to the stashing of such a large amount of cocaine despite warning signs and the human intelligence that would have surely been available. The police force has issued no formal notification of the removal of the commander from his post or addressed its shortcomings in this matter. While CANU has specialized interest in interdicting narco-trafficking, it must be recalled that the police have overall responsibility for security in this country and that their obliviousness to what was a major landing operation to offload drugs and then to transport it to Europe is disconcerting.
President Ali, the Defence Board and the Minister of Home Affairs should address the failure of the police force in this matter. It also cannot be overlooked that there is the well-established view that the police force is compromised and leaks information which could compromise sensitive counter-narcotic operations such as the one on August 31st at Matthews Ridge. It is not a good place for the police force to be in and it raises doubts about their reliability in other important theatres.
It is worth restating that the scale of the drug traffickers’ operation was alarming and required succour from various quarters here to thrive. These are unsettling developments and necessitate agile investigations and corrective measures where necessary. Ultimately, the authorities must provide answers to the people and to assure them that the police and all other sections of the Joint Services are working in unison to defeat major drug trafficking rings.
