Questions Arise as Guyana Police Force Omitted from Major Drug Bust Operation Involving 4.4 Tons of Cocaine

by Nicole Telford

Georgetown, Guyana — The Government of Guyana appears to have lost confidence in the Guyana Police Force (GPF). A breaking news report regarding the discovery of 4.4 tons of cocaine buried in underground bunkers at Matthew’s Ridge, Region #1, revealed that the U.S. DEA assisted local security agents in the operation. According to media reports, the GPF was not involved, raising concerns among retired officers.

Village Voice News spoke with several senior retired officers of the joint services, who pointed out glaring omissions in the operation conducted by CANU and the DEA. One officer remarked that many questions remain unanswered by the state. “The police are typically the first to handle criminal activities in any jurisdiction, even when other entities or state agents are involved,” said the officer. Another retired officer emphasized that the absence of the police in this operation was unusual, as protocol usually requires their presence. He further noted that CANU, a government agency not enshrined in the constitution, has no mandate over the GPF. The GPF has the sole responsibility for policing crime, and any criminal findings—whether discovered by CANU, the GDF, the DEA, or any other agency—must be handed over to the police.

On August 31, 2024, it was reported that CANU officers, in collaboration with the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Special Forces Unit, conducted an operation in Region #1, which led to the discovery of an illegal airstrip and the unearthing of drugs in bunkers.

However, the Guyana Police Force, a premier institution responsible for the protection and service of the nation, has yet to release a statement on the drug discovery and the illegal airstrip.

Meanwhile, it was reported that President Irfaan Ali, Acting Police Commissioner Clifton Hicken, and Head of the Special Organised Crime Unit, Assistant Commissioner Fazil Karimbaksh, declined to answer questions from journalists about allegations of police corruption involving senior officers after the government’s launch of the National Defence Institute.

The Opposition, in a recent press release, stated that based on the PPP’s record, they do not anticipate a serious investigation or major arrests.