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Lethem cops under for taking bribes to aid Cuban crossings
—Probe follows claims that ranks facilitated Cubans’ illegal entry into Brazil
(Kaieteur News) – Guyana’s top cop, Commissioner of Police Clifton Hicken, has ordered an investigation into allegations that immigration ranks at Lethem, Region Nine, are accepting payments to facilitate the illegal movement of Cubans into Brazil through Guyana’s borders.
The allegations surfaced in a news article published by Big Smith News Watch, an online media entity.
In a statement following the publication, the Guyana Police Force (GPF) said, “Given the serious nature of the allegations, Commissioner of Police Dr. Clifton Hicken has directed the Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) to immediately launch an investigation to determine the circumstances and veracity of the claims made in the publication.”
“He stressed that any member of the Force found to have acted unlawfully or in breach of established regulations will be dealt with condignly in accordance with the law and established disciplinary procedures,” the GPF added.
The Takatu River Bridge which connects Guyana with Brazil
The Force has also appealed to members of the public to assist the OPR with its investigation.
“The Guyana Police Force encourages any person who may be in possession of information or evidence relevant to these allegations to make same available to the Office of Professional Responsibility to assist with the investigation,” the GPF stated.
The allegations have surfaced months after Brazil’s Ministry of Justice and Public Security reportedly intercepted 108 Cubans attempting to enter the country through its northern border with Guyana.
Brazilian authorities described the operation as a rescue mission aimed at disrupting human trafficking and irregular migration. The operation was reportedly the largest of its kind carried out in a single day in the Brazilian state of Roraima.
Al Jazeera, reporting on the operation in June, pointed out that Roraima is situated in the Amazon rainforest along the borders with Guyana and Venezuela. The Brazilian ministry reportedly said that a “large portion” of Cuban migrants are using Guyana as a gateway to enter Brazil.
Brazilian authorities said five suspected human smugglers, known locally as “coyotes,” were arrested during the operation.
Additionally, the Brazilian Government said it had rescued 297 Cuban migrants attempting to enter Brazil illegally through Roraima since June 2024.
As of 2025, the number of Cubans seeking refugee status in Brazil had surpassed that of Venezuelans, with Brazil’s Ministry of Justice receiving some 40,000 applications.
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