Joint Services ranks offloading the blocks of cocaine found in the bunkers
Following the massive drug bust at the Clandestine Airstrip in Region One (Barima-Waini), the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) has disclosed that the cocaine found amounted to some 4.4 tonnes with a street value of some €176 million (G40.7 billion).
The narcotics, which were found hidden in several bunkers around the illegal airstrip near Matthew’s Ridge, were destroyed after samples were extracted for further investigations.
Some 4.4 tonnes of cocaine, worth 176M Euro, were destroyed
This operation was a collaboration between the local Joint Services and the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
Law enforcement officials believe that the drugs were brought to Guyana from neighbouring country/countries and were stored until further transhipment to Europe.
Director of CANU, James Singh, told reporters at the site in Region One that the airstrip was illegally built “with a plan to accommodate small aircraft, bringing several kilos of cocaine from outside of Guyana here.”
One of the bunkers found with cocaine
“[The cocaine was] found in four pits or bunkers neatly camouflaged in about 30 minutes walk into the jungle in different directions. There were also several camps within the jungle… The fact that this amount of drugs was found in several locations means that it was waiting for the transhipment… They were waiting for the opportune moment. That’s why I said we were very successful not just in seizing but detecting a new concealment method [and got] an idea as to how big the network is,” Singh stated.
Home Affairs Minister Robeson Benn with an officer inspecting the massive cocaine find
Meanwhile, Home Affairs Minister Robeson Benn who joined law enforcement officers in Region One for the destruction exercise earlier today added, “I emphasise again that Guyana is a victim of this illegal type of and nefarious activity. We don’t produce cocaine, we don’t transit it, we don’t make the guns, which you see a couple here – a couple rifles… Drug trafficking is associated with the other elements of transnational organised crime – money laundering, gun smuggling, homicides unknown, and unsolvable in many instances, and a general decline in law and order in any environment where it takes over. We don’t want to get to that place.”
See below for the full statement from CANU:
Matter/Story: CANU Seizes and Destroys Large Quantity of CocaineDate of Interception: Saturday 31st August 2024Place of Interception: Clandestine Airstrip, Region #1
• On Saturday 31st August 2024, CANU officers, in collaboration with the GuyanaDefence Force (GDF) Special Forces Unit, carried out an operation in the Region #1area which led to the discovery of an illegal airstrip. A subsequent search of thesurrounding area resulted in the unearthing of 4.4 tons of suspected cocaine, which hasa current street value of one hundred and seventy-six million Euros (€176,000,000).This operation was driven by intelligence regarding illegal flights into Guyana and wassupported by information shared with the United States Drug Enforcement Agency(DEA) and other international partners.
• This seizure highlights the Customs Anti-Narcotic Unit (CANU) and theGovernment’s unwavering commitment to combating the narcotics trade in Guyana andcollaborating with international partners. The Government of Guyana is makingsignificant strides to equip the Joint Services with the necessary tools to combat drugtrafficking and other illicit activities within the country. Recent investments in the GDFCoast Guard, Air Corps, and the Guyana Police to enhance monitoring of border regionsunderscore this dedication.
• This seizure also demonstrates the confidence that the Guyanese Government,international agencies, and Joint Services have in CANU’s ability to fulfill its mandate.CANU has been leading Guyana’s anti-narcotics efforts, resulting in previous seizuresof aircraft, and semi-submersibles, and the arrests of high-profile drug traffickers.
• Samples were taken and the remainder of the narcotics were destroyed.
● Investigations are ongoing.
