POLICE Commissioner Henry Greene yesterday acknowledged that, despite major busts, Guyana remains a trans-shipment point for cocaine and drug interdiction is still a problem here. He was responding to questions after a presentation ceremony in which Japarts made a donation to the Guyana Police Force (GPF), at the Eve Leary headquarters, in Georgetown
Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee had said, on Tuesday, that a major drug operation was smashed at Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) recently.
But Greene maintained that, in spite the Police work, cocaine is getting out of this country although they have been working closely, with other agencies at the Timehri airport, as interdicting narcotics continues to be a challenge.
“I don’t think that has changed. The fact that we continue to detect drugs means Guyana is a trans-shipment point and, recently, we have Guyana and Venezuela as trans-shipment points to Africa then into Europe,” he stated.
Greene said there will be incidents and the statement by the Minister maybe be related to the general situation where a group got busted at CJIA.
But that does not prevent people from swallowing cocaine and becoming carriers, having escaped the net and shipping it overseas, he explained.
Rohee had also told a press conference Tuesday that his ministry is, so far, pleased with the number of drug busts but the main focus is finding out who imports the narcotics and how they enter the country, when and where.
He said cocaine swallowers continue to strive by way of exiting the country through terminals like CJIA and the Ogle Airport and, as such, vigilance and scrutiny have been intensified, at the borders, too.
Rohee posited that the swallowers are mere transporters used by the traffickers and the authorities are going after those responsible for the trafficking, who hire them who swallow.
He said there is a possibility of drafting a bill to prohibit persons who are involved in the drug trade from taking part in general elections here.