Heavily-armed members of the Police Force’s Tactical Services Unit yesterday afternoon accompanied to the city, some 26 persons deported from the United States. The individuals, many of whom served time in US jail for serious criminal offences, narco-trafficking and robbery, arrived at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) on board a specially chartered World Atlantic MD-83 aircraft, and were transferred to a 30-seater bus under tight security.
The deportees were placed in a waiting bus under police guard at CJIA
It is understood that US Border security personnel handed over the deportees to local law enforcement before they were escorted to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Headquarters in Georgetown, for processing prior to being released.
Kaieteur News was unable to ascertain, when contact was made with CID, whether there was any particular person of interest. The publication was told, however, that the men will be questioned and recorded before being released. Given the magnitude of the offence committed overseas, certain persons could remain on the agency’s radar, the newspaper was told.
In January of last year, 20 persons were deported by the US. While there had been calls by civil society and activists to activate programmes that reintegrate deported nationals back into society, there is no operational government body that has actively taken on the role.
The vehicle arriving at CID Headquarters yesterday
Many of those returning to Guyana may have left their country of birth at an early age and often find difficulty in coping with the new environment. As such many have claimed that the ‘involuntary remigrants’ often contribute to social and criminal problems.