MINISTER of State, Joseph Harmon has noted that there will “definitely” be changes in personnel at the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU), following the findings of a Commission of Inquiry (COI) into a vessel linked to a massive high-seas drug bust, which ensnared four Guyanese and netted cocaine worth US$71.7M.

The State Minister did not want to divulge the findings of the report as he noted that President David Granger still has to peruse the document.
“As far as personnel are concerned, there is definitely going to be some adjustments, some changes in the fight against narcotics architecture; there’s going to be some changes and the report, I believe, is pointing in that direction,” Minister Harmon told a post cabinet media briefing at the Ministry of the Presidency on Friday.

CANU’s Head, James Singh, was sent on 42 days leave at the end of February after the multi-million dollar drug bust and it is believed that the outcome of the COI will determine his future with respect to CANU. Minister Harmon on Friday could not confirm or deny if the report recommended that Singh be fired. Guyana Chronicle understands that Singh’s contract expires in three years; he is slated to return to work at the end of July.
Harmon, however, noted that as of recent there have been more drug busts in Guyana than overseas.

“You will recognise the increase levels of detection of narcotic operations in Guyana, seizures in Guyana, based on good intelligence and follow up to that intelligence work. We’re no longer hearing that drugs left Guyana and found somewhere else and this is a major change that is taking place.”
The COI was established by President David Granger on March 31, to inquire into the circumstances surrounding the entry into, the interception, detention and subsequent release of an unnamed private maritime vessel in the sea space of the territory of Guyana.

The vessel was spotted in Guyana’s waters off the Corentyne coast moving north between February 11 to 14, 2017. While in the vicinity of Shell Beach, it was intercepted by local authorities, and brought into the Waini River and searched.
The Commission was asked to report the findings and recommendations to the President, who is the Head of the National Security Committee. It is believed that this vessel had transferred the large cocaine shipment to the mother vessel which was subsequently seized by the U.S. authorities and found to be carrying over four tonnes of cocaine.

Major-General (retired), Michael Atherly has since taken full command of the operations of CANU. Since assuming office, the coalition Government has heightened and intensified efforts to counter narcotics trafficking on land, by air and at sea.
Coastal aerial surveillance and mounted branch border patrols have been reactivated and are done on a regular and continual basis.