US says corruption in law enforcement agencies snarls drug, money laundering probes

Last Updated on Tuesday, 22 April 2025, 18:11 by Writer

Guyana’s fight against “deeply entrenched” drug trafficking and money laundering is being hampered by corruption involving police, soldiers and customs officers, according to the just-released 2025 United States (US) International Narcotics Control Strategy Report (INCSR).

“Corruption in Guyana, however, poses a significant obstacle to its efforts to combat drug trafficking. Corruption within law enforcement, bribery, and nepotism in the public sector and political entities further complicate the fight against drug trafficking. Authorities often drop charges or never file them and do not conduct serious investigations; traffickers are able to evade prosecution,” states the report.

While the US credited Guyana with showing a commitment to working with international partners to address drug trafficking, it said traffickers were taking advantage of fertile ground to use the South American nation as a transshipment point for mainly cocaine to Europe and West Africa, and to a lesser extent, the US.

“Despite growing oil wealth and the government’s increased efforts, the public sector – including law enforcement and customs officials – remains underpaid. Coupled with a lack of adequate resources and shortcomings in the legal system, this allows traffickers to exploit government systems and move illicit drugs through Guyana,” the report states.

The INCSR also notes Guyana’s location along the northern coast of South America and its extensive river networks, dense rainforests, many illegal airstrips, and proximity to major drug-producing countries.

The report adds that traffickers also disguise cocaine in legitimate cargo and transport it by commercial and private aircraft, maritime vessels, human couriers, and postal systems.

The US remarked that Guyana has been a member of the Regional Security System since 2022 but there has been no significant reporting on collaborations, especially in the area of combating drug trafficking.

With Guyana’s “deeply entrenched illicit drug trade” contributing significantly to increased crime and corruption, the INCSR recommends that the government fight drug trafficking by enhancing law enforcement and customs capability through port security improvements, intelligence operations with regional and international partners, implementing stronger anticorruption measures, and strengthening its legislation relating to drug trafficking sentencing, to make the illicit trade less attractive.

Last year Guyana seized more than four metric tonnes of cocaine, in cooperation with US law enforcement, at an airstrip near its border with Venezuela – the largest drug seizure in Guyana’s history – and interdicted one semi-submersible off Guyana’s coast with 2.3 metric tonnes of cocaine.

The US government says Guyana has shown commitment to working with international partners to address drug trafficking. In September 2024, the government launched the National Defense Institute to build security expertise through its collaboration with the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and US security and defense institutions.

In two separate incidents in July 2024, four Guyana Defence Force (GDF) officers were charged with trafficking a total of 213 kilogrammes of cannabis.

Turning its attention to money laundering, the US noted that of the 13 active money laundering cases by the Guyana Police Force’s Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) that were before the courts as of November 2024, just one conviction has been secured so far.

The INCSR report attributed this to lowly paid and largely untrained SOCU agents. “Many interlocutors consider the underpaid and under-resourced Guyana Police Force the weak link in Guyana’s AML (Anti-Money Laundering) enforcement program. For example, most SOCU investigators are former patrol officers who receive very little training specific to financial crimes. For these reasons, the vast majority of money laundering cases go unprosecuted.,” the report states.

The US recommended that Guyana strengthen its AML regime, fully implement existing laws, including pursuing asset forfeiture in full compliance with the law, and stricter oversight and transparency in high-risk sectors like gold export and public procurement.

Investing in training for local law enforcement and financial regulators would also build the AML/CFT (Countering of Financing Terrorism) capacity of these authorities.

In terms of successes last year, the US reflected on the fact that a then Assistant Police Commissioner was charged with 231 offenses, including money laundering, and SOCU’s charging of four other persons with money laundering for attempting to smuggle approximately 240 ounces of virtually pure gold (valued at over US$560,000) disguised as silver-plated jewelry without having the necessary permits.

The US also referred the June 2024 sanctioning of one of Guyana’s largest gold exporting companies along with a high-ranking government official for engaging in bribery and manipulating gold export records to evade $50 million in taxes from 2019 to 2023.