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8,475 pieces of drug evidence submitted for testing last year
A staggering 8,475 pieces of drug evidence were submitted last year for drug testing, according to the Guyana Drug Information Network 2018 Annual Report.
These were a part of the 480 cases submitted by police divisions ‘A’ through ‘G’ and the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU). Of the 480 cases, 478 cases were processed and 403 of these were uplifted by the respective agencies.
Overall, 387 returned positive results for cannabis, 82 for cocaine and 17 for ecstasy. Most of the requests for drug analysis came from the Police “A” division with 135, followed by Police “F” division with 89. There were 89 requests from police “B” division.
It was noted in the report that police “F” division seems to have a significant number of requests for drug analysis as an interior location. It accounted for 19 percent of the overall requests made.
In Guyana, a reform of the security sector led to the formation of the Guyana Forensic Science Laboratory that has a mandate to analyze all forensic evidence submitted for police investigation in cases. With this laboratory functioning, some new data for monitoring and research became available for evidence based decision making at a policy level in Guyana.
This includes the analysis of all drug evidence submitted for investigating persons charged for possession, trafficking or cultivation of narcotics.
According to the Guyana Drug Information Network 2018 Annual Report, 539 persons were charged last year for drug trafficking, possession and cultivation. Conviction statistics from the Guyana Prison Service show that 110 persons were convicted for trafficking narcotics, while 38 were convicted for possession of narcotics.
Of the number convicted for possession, 14 were found with marijuana, while five were found to be in possession of cocaine. Seven were convicted for possession of other narcotics, namely ecstasy, heroin and methamphetamine.
Nine persons were convicted for possession of drug utensils. Meanwhile, of the 110 persons convicted for trafficking narcotics, 89 of them were for marijuana and 21 were for trafficking cocaine.
The report noted that three persons were convicted for cultivation of marijuana and three persons were convicted for smoking of narcotics.
Data for 2018 indicate that the majority of persons, 96 who were convicted for a drug crime were above 25 years old. Two persons were below the age of 20. The two persons were charged with trafficking cocaine and cannabis. Of the persons between the ages of 20-25, the majority were convicted for trafficking cannabis.
The Guyana Police Force Narcotics Branch made 275 narcotics seizures last year. This translates to 218 seizures for cannabis amounting to 504.55 kilograms, and 50 seizures for cocaine totaling 11.09 kilograms. There were seven seizures of ecstasy yielding 0.47 kilograms. This amounts to a total of 516.11 Kg of narcotics seized by police for 2018.
The Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU), on the other hand, made 59 seizures amounting to 718 kilograms. Of this total, 22 seizures were for cannabis equating to 545.78 kilograms of which 0.16 kilograms were cannabis seeds; 29 seizures were for cocaine totaling 171.58 kilograms.
In addition, CANU made eight seizures for drugs such as 0.304 kilograms of heroin, ecstasy totaling 0.533 kilogram, and methamphetamine totaling 0.1 kilogram.
Apart from drug testing, the Guyana Forensic Laboratory now has the capability to conduct DNA analysis; testing for comparison, paternity, and family mapping and testing for gun powder residue.
According to the same report, 539 persons were charged last year for drug trafficking, possession and cultivation. Conviction statistics from the Guyana Prison Service show that 110 persons were convicted for trafficking narcotics, while 38 were convicted for possession of narcotics.
Meanwhile, of the 110 persons convicted for trafficking narcotics, 89 of them were for marijuana and 21 were for trafficking cocaine.
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