Guyana requests “assets” to deal with drug planes

Last Updated on Thursday, 5 September 2024, 21:31 by Writer

President Irfaan Ali on Wednesday said government has asked for international help with “assets” to deal with drug-laden planes that fly over Guyana, just days after the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) unearthed 4.4 tonnes of cocaine from several pits in Matthews Ridge, North West District.

“We’ve already asked and we’re ready to work with our partners, once we’re given the assets and once we can secure the assets, to deal with all the overflights that are passing over our airspace,” he said at the launch of the Guyana Defence Force’s (GDF) National Defence Institute.

Over the years, planes laden with cocaine and others suspected to have been on illegal trips have been found in Guyana and Suriname.

Pledging Guyana’s commitment to “work with you in dismantling the global empire that drug trade has created”, he said much depended on the country receiving support. “We’re committing to dismantling any cells which may exist locally and have lent support to transnational criminal cartels,” he said. He added that any “information set” that is provided to Guyana, authorities here would go after narco-trafficking.

Concerns have been raised about whether there was collusion or law enforcement agents and officials in Region One (Barima-Waini) had turned a blind eye to the construction of the illegal airstrip about 20 miles from central Matthews Ridge, frequent flights and other activities associated with the movement of the drugs.

President Ali warned drug traffickers that “we will come after you with the full force of the law” and avoid Guyana from becoming a conduit for crimes.