DEA to hire permanent American staff for Guyana office

Kurt Campbell reports…

The United States Embassy here in Georgetown is currently in the process of hiring American nationals to carry out the work of the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) in Guyana.

U.S. Embassy Chargé d’Affaires, Bryan Hunt told News Source on Wednesday that the DEA already has personnel working out of the Embassy in Georgetown.

News Source understands that the US government intends to have a permanent DEA staff set up at the embassy.

Guyana continues to work along with the Trinidad based DEA office. It was announced in June 2014 that the US through its local embassy would set up an office here.

Guyana had been pressing the United States for years for more assistance in the narcotics fight.

Most recently it was noted that the DEA was lending assistance to the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) as the probe continues into the discovery of a semi submarine vessel in Guyana’s Waini river.

The Government of Guyana has repeatedly called on the United States to do more in the drug fight in Guyana since the US often appears as the destination of choice for the illegal substance passing through the country.

The commitment from the US has been forthcoming in this regard.

The DEA office is expected to be working closely with the local Customs Anti Narcotics Unit and the Police Force Narcotics Branch. The Guyanese agents are expected to be screened before they begin their work with the US Agents.

Guyana continues to find itself as a drug transshipment point for cocaine from South America heading to the United States and Europe. Over the past few years, there has been more cooperation between law enforcement agencies on both sides and that cooperation has seen several drug mules being busted.

Filed: 18th February 2015