I TAKE great pleasure in reading that a drug bust was expedited, here in the Demerara River. Anytime a drug smuggling act is foiled, it goes far beyond the realm of the immediate and the physical. Ultimately, addiction for ‘hard drugs’ produces ‘junkies’ and we all know that they become the burden of the society. So I am sure that my happiness is understood. According to the story, the Custom Anti Narcotics Unit (CANU) and the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Coast Guard Unit intercepted a fishing vessel, in the Demerara River. The vessel had more than $ 145 million (Guyana dollars) worth of cocaine and compressed marijuana, and it was destined for Trinidad.
Here I underscore a most important point: the drug trade has many facades, and fishing vessels are just one.
The CANU officials, acted on a ‘tip off’ from the GDF Coast Guard Unit, and intercepted the Bismark 2.  The cache weighed some 104 kilogrammes (kg) of compressed marijuana, and 27 kg of cocaine. Now readers, imagine the potential damage to lives here!
CANU head, James Singh, disclosed that after the boat was intercepted, the illegal substance was detected and the crew members were subsequently taken into custody, assisting with investigations. He further stated that CANU is awaiting information from the maritime authorities for the contact information of the owner of the vessel.
I say to James Singh-keep up the pressure.
So now it is the investigation aspect of this bust. In this light, I suggest that the matter be pursued quickly and relentlessly.Also, when the case closes, all Guyana should be apprised of it. Too many times, reporters do a half-job. They should ‘go all the way’ in their reporting. This is a good journalistic habit. It will also warn the public that ‘law breakers’ have to ‘pay up.’
I call on CANU and the GDF to continue their good work in this area.