“We will dismantle drug networks in Guyana”

– DEA’s Regional Director

The much anticipated Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has finally opened its office in Guyana with promises to destroy and dismantle local drug networks.

The United States’ premier anti narco-trafficking agency will be housed in the US Embassy’s compound at Duke and Young Streets, Kingston, Georgetown. The simple but significant opening ceremony was held in the presence of Government Ministers, members of the security sector, members of the Judiciary, and members of the Diplomatic Corp.

Addressing the small gathering at the Embassy on Wednesday, DEA’s Regional Director Matthew Donahue assured that the agency is going to work hard to help Guyana arrest its drug trafficking situation.

“We are not going to just arrest a few people here, we need to dismantle and destroy these organisations,” he stated. The Regional Director stressed that while it is going to be a difficult task, with the experience and training of the DEA agents, coupled with the cooperation of the Government of Guyana, he is sure that they will be successful.

He pointed out that while Guyana is not a source country for drug trafficking, it does have a transportation problem. On this note, Donahue stated that the DEA not only focuses on small drug traffickers but also looks at those organisations that have multinational presence.

“We look at things internationally. We don’t focus on just the small time drug traffickers, we focus on international (people) who’s going to be bringing the drugs into the country and who’s taking drugs out of the country,” the Regional Director noted.

Donahue further emphasised that DEA will also be monitoring those organisations that push criminal activities, since it is found that narco-trafficking is at the source of these. He noted that his agency is determined to destroy such networks.

“We focus on organisations, they are not just drug traffickers. You see drug trafficking and you believe that’s all they are (but) we are not going to win against drug trafficking because these are the same people that human trafficking, the same people that are illegally mining gold, the same people that are illegally mining minerals, that are committing assassinations – they’re all of a criminal organisation that works transnational throughout the region,” the Director said.

However, Donahue said that the DEA cannot do it alone, underscoring the importance of getting the cooperation of Governments. He added that the agency will be bridging Guyana with other countries, which is important in tackling narcotics trade.

Meanwhile, in his brief remarks, U.S. Ambassador Perry Holloway explained that the fulltime presence of a DEA office in Guyana does not mean that the narco-trafficking situation will change overnight.

He reminded that the DEA agents who will be stationed in the country do not have policing rights but are merely looking into narco-trafficking activities that are linked to the US. However, he stressed that the DEA office will also help local enforcement agencies in several areas other than drug trade.

“In the course of doing their work, they are going to come across a lot of information that may not have a US nexus but it will be maybe a crime going on locally here and that information will be shared whether be it with CANU (Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit), with the national Police, with the Prosecutors or Judges, they will be sharing lots of information,” Ambassador Holloway stated.

On the other hand, Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan outlined that having the DEA Office here will be a tremendous step in Guyana’s efforts to fight trafficking.

“The mere presence of this Unit out of America will have a deterring effect in my opinion. The fact that such an information institution, such an important drug interdiction unit is here and though it may not have any Police powers, knowing their capacities and abilities to get information and to disrupt networks is so very important,” he highlighted.

Ramjattan also recognised that crime and violence have been born out of the narcotics trade, adding that he is grateful that the agency will also be able to provide information in the other areas such as gold smuggling and money laundering, saying that will assist local enforcement agencies.