WITH 20 convictions and over 56 cases made in the first half of 2022, the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) removed over GUY$2.4 billion in illicit drugs from the drug market as traffickers use new technologies to commit traditional crimes.

According to CANU’s first and second quarter reports for 2022, the Joint Service operations and the government’s continued support, coupled with the maintenance of good relationships in communities and the media have increased the agency’s success.

“CANU has placed great emphasis on strengthening and enhancing the professionalism of its ranks, as evidenced by the number of successful operations conducted by the Unit at both the Intelligence and Operational levels,” the agency noted in its report.

In the first quarterly report covering January to March 31, 2022, CANU reported that cannabis seizures represented the highest and dominant drug seizures by the unit for the period.
“Though for the period of January to March, the Unit has made significant seizures, it is important to note that our success is not based on the amount of drugs seized, but, rather, the amount of criminal activities relating to the drug phenomenon that we have disrupted,” the first quarterly report underscored.

From January to March 2022, the Unit removed approximately one billion, nine hundred and forty-three million, five hundred and eighty-three thousand, three hundred and ninety dollars’ (GUY $1,943,583,390) worth of illicit drugs from reaching the market.

Meanwhile, from April to June 2022, CANU removed approximately two hundred and six million dollars (GUY$206,000,000) worth of illicit drugs from the drug market, with marijuana seizures accounting for the largest estimated sum.

In an earlier interview, CANU’s Head, James Singh, noted that the public had renewed confidence in the anti-narcotics agency.
He noted that CANU had been working assiduously to reduce drug trafficking and had prevented the movement of cocaine and marijuana to Barbados, Suriname and the United States.