https://www.state.gov/document...anization/278759.pdf

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Guyana

A. Introduction

Guyana is a transit country for cocaine destined for the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, Europe, and West Africa. Cocaine originating in Colombia is smuggled to Venezuela and onward to Guyana by sea and air. Smugglers also transit land borders and the shared river network with Brazil, Venezuela, and Suriname. Cocaine is concealed in legitimate commodities and smuggled through commercial and private air transport, maritime vessels, human couriers, “go-fast” boats, and various postal systems. Drug-related corruption is evident in the country’s criminal justice system and other sectors. Drug traffickers are attracted by the country’s poorly monitored ports, remote airstrips, intricate river networks, porous land borders, corruption, and weak security sector capacity. Despite these challenges, the Government of Guyana has demonstrated a strong political will to combat the trafficking of narcotics in and through Guyana. B. Drug Control Accomplishments, Policies, and Trends

1. Institutional Development

Guyana has a comprehensive legal framework in place to support drug-related investigations and prosecutions. Relevant laws include the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) Act of 2009; the Interception of Communications Act 2008; the Criminal Law Procedure Act (revised in 1998); the Narcotic Drug and Psychotropic Substances (Control) Act 1988; and the Maritime Drug Trafficking (Suppression) Act 2003. In August, the Guyanese government amended its AML/CFT law to provide for harsher penalties for anyone found to be laundering money. As a result of this reform, Guyana was removed from the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force list of high-risk and non-cooperative jurisdictions.

In December 2016, the Guyanese government launched a National Drug Strategy Masterplan and announced the creation of a National Anti-Narcotics Agency (NANA). NANA coordinates and ensures collaboration among the five anti-narcotics agencies, which are the Guyana Police Force (GPF), Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA), the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU), the

Special Organized Crime Unit (SOCU), and the Guyana Defense Force (GDF). The GDF supports law enforcement agencies with boats, aircraft, and personnel but has limited capacity and lacks law enforcement authority.

The Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) has the mandate to detect, prevent, and deter money laundering and financing of terrorist activities in Guyana. FIU prepares suspicious transactions reports for the SOCU to investigate. In July, the FIU purchased updated software to detect illegal financial activities and was in the process of hiring a financial analyst and a legal advisor at the close of 2017. In 2008 Guyana acceded to, and has submitted requests pursuant to, the Inter-American Convention on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters, to which the United States is also a party.

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Guyana has bilateral counternarcotics agreements with its neighbors and the United Kingdom. Guyana is a member of the Organization of American States’ Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission (OAS/CICAD). Guyana signed a maritime counternarcotics bilateral agreement with the United States in 2001 but has yet to take the necessary domestic action to bring the agreement into effect. The 1931 Extradition Treaty between the United States and the United Kingdom is applicable to the United States and Guyana. In 2017, the United States and Guyana each made extradition requests to the other pursuant to this Treaty.

2.

Supply Reduction

Guyana has a drug enforcement presence at its international airports, post offices, and, to a lesser extent, at port and land-border entry points. During the first six months of 2017, the GPF reported seizing 22 kilograms (kg) of cocaine and approximately 12 kg of cannabis, while

CANU reported seizing approximately 248 kg of cocaine and approximately 66 kg of cannabis. Guyanese authorities initiated 503 prosecutions and convicted 227 individuals for drug trafficking during this six-month period.

3.

Public Information, Prevention, and Treatment

Guyana has a comprehensive demand reduction strategy that adequately addresses drug

rehabilitation. Marijuana is the most widely used illicit drug in Guyana, followed by cocaine. The Guyana National Council for Drug Education, Rehabilitation, and Treatment, within the Ministry of Public Health, is the only government body responsible for addressing demand reduction. Non-governmental organizations also offer rehabilitation services, with the Government of Guyana providing financial assistance. The Georgetown Public Hospital also provides free rehabilitation services for drug users. The University of Guyana has a demand reduction curriculum in place through OAS/CICAD funding. The Guyanese government also conducts anti-drug awareness sessions in secondary schools and has plans to create drug treatment courts. As part of the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative (CBSI), the United States supports Guyana by providing targeted training for law enforcement and maritime officers.

4.

Corruption

As a matter of policy, the Government of Guyana does not encourage or facilitate the illicit production or distribution of narcotics or psychotropic drugs or other controlled substances or the laundering of proceeds from illegal drug transactions. However, a lack of resources, weak law enforcement institutions, an ineffective judicial system, and inadequate compensation for civil service employees and public safety officials facilitate corruption throughout all sectors. The Guyanese government has strict policies against corruption, but has difficulty in investigating and successfully prosecuting corruption cases. In May, the government passed the State Asset Recovery Act and created the State Asset Recovery Agency, bringing the government in full compliance with the United Nation Convention against Corruption. In September, the United Nations Office on Drugs andCrime,supported by U.S. funding, appointed a representative to Guyana to support and strengthen the national capacity to fight anti-corruption and money laundering activities.

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C. National Goals, Bilateral Cooperation, and U.S. Policy Initiatives

The United States supports a wide range of efforts designed to address crime and violence affecting Guyanese citizens, primarily through CBSI. CBSI is a security partnership between the United States and Caribbean nations that seeks to substantially reduce illicit trafficking, advance public safety and citizen security, and promote justice. Efforts to increase law enforcement capabilities, protect borders and ports, strengthen workforce development, and promote anti-money laundering effectiveness directly address priority concerns shared by Guyana and the United States.

The Guyanese government cooperates closely with all relevant U.S. agencies but is limited by resource constraints. The current administration (which took office in May 2015) has expressed a strong willingness to cooperate further with the United States on drug control, extradition, mutual legal assistance, and other international crime issues. CBSI-funded programs support Guyana’s maritime operations by providing interdiction assets,relevant command and control systems, and associated logistical support and training. In 2017, the United States provided port and maritime training to Guyana’s Coast Guard. U.S. assistance programs also promote law enforcement professionalization and more effective drug investigations. By strengthening Guyana’s drug enforcement capabilities, the United States seeks to enhance interagency coordination and help gather better information on drug trafficking routes.

D. Conclusion

The United States enjoys strong cooperation with Guyana in advancing mutual interests against the threat of international drug trafficking. Guyana has shown strong interest in furthering collaboration under CBSI. The United States looks forward to tangible progress on investigations, prosecutions, extraditions, security sector capacity enhancement, the engagementof at-risk communities, and enforcement of laws against money laundering and financial crimes. The major limiting factor is a lack of resources.