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Govt support sees CANU improving intelligence/operational capabilities
The Customs Anti Narcotic Unit had a challenging but yet very rewarding year in 2018, according to Deputy Head Lesley Ramlall. But through Government support and funding CANU has been able to make great headway in their fight against crime.
Head of CANU, Lesley Ramlall
According to Ramlall, CANU through effective profiling, intelligence and operations, saw a reduction in the smuggling of narcotics in and out of Guyana, much of which is attributed to Governmental support.
This level of support especially in the form of kits, equipment and a vast increase of the authorized strength has impacted immeasurably on the Unit’s intelligence and operational capabilities.
As stated by Ramlall, this level of support has resulted also in the seizure of narcotics, arrest and prosecution of traffickers in some of Guyana’s rural and remote areas. More so, it has afforded the Unit the establishment and commencement of operations at other locations as mandated by Cabinet, according to Ramlall.
Of significance as well is the continuous improvement of intelligence sharing with local, regional and international partners that led to many operations being conducted in real time, inclusive of the collaboration and timely execution of an operation that resulted in the arrest of one of the main Guyanese narco-traffickers and two of his counterparts in Jamaica.
The nature of CANU operations will be dependent on the gathering of information and intelligence, according to Ramlall. He emphasized that the Unit was able to improve on its intelligence capabilities in 2018 through the employment of more undercover officers, the recruitment of more reliable sources and the continuous support from citizens.
The Unit has also seen an increase in the amount of phone calls and persons visiting the Headquarters to share information of suspicious narcotics activities when compared to 2017.
Ramlall noted that additionally, CANU has been now able to share intelligence with local partners including the Special Organized Crime Unit (SOCU) and the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU), thus resulting in money laundering investigations and charges against some narco-traffickers.
Ramlall explained that these vital exchanges of information have led to the seizure of narcotics in other countries that involved Guyanese Nationals. Additionally, the many real time sharing of intelligence would have resulted in the arrest of several swallowers upon arriving at their final destination.
As such, a total of 171.58 kgs of cocaine; 543.256 kgs of cannabis; 532.8 grams of ecstasy; 304 grams of heroin; 100 grams of crystal methamphetamine and 39 grams of cannabis seeds were seized in 2018, as against 291.089 kgs of cocaine, 123.799 kgs of cannabis and 1.602 kgs of heroin seized for the year 2017.
Being the primary agency in Guyana that is responsible for the fight against narco-trafficking, CANU’s performance in 2018 has been said to be laudable, according to Ramlall.
He said that from all indications, there is a fear among narco-traffickers to continue operating openly or with little apprehension because of the Unit’s performance during 2018. He said the unit is determined to continue dismantling drug traffickers and drug trafficking groups/organizations in Guyana through the seizure of narcotics and assets belonging to traffickers.
The Unit’s has been able to arrest and prosecute traffickers who have been on the their target list for over the last fifteen (15) years, and their close cooperation with regional and international counterparts have led to the arrest of a very senior Guyanese narco trafficker
Ramlall said, however, these successes could not have been possible had it not been for the unwavering support from the Ministry of Public Security and by extension, the Government of Guyana.
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