With the US Drug Enforcement Administration now having a permanent presence in Guyana with its office at the US Embassy, Guyanese Government officials are hoping that the move with assist in tackling the drug trafficking problem that has been plaguing the country for years.
But US Ambassador to Guyana, Perry Holloway, who also has a background in counter narcotics efforts, has warned that the results will not come overnight and some patience might be needed.
“It’s not going to change things overnight. The bad guys are well-funded, they are smart, they are motivated and unfortunately they do not play by the rules”, he said.
The Ambassador explained that many major drug trafficking cases would be complexed with links to other crimes including gun smuggling and money laundering. He said one should not expect results overnight but rather in the coming months and years. The DEA officers who will be stationed at the local office have already arrived in the country.
Mr. Holloway also told the launching event for the local office that while the DEA will primarily be focusing on drug enforcement, if it stumbles across other cases during its probe, it will hand that information over to local law enforcement.
Guyana has welcomed the presence of the DEA and Public Security Minister, Khemraj Ramjattan said he believes the presence of the DEA will deter persons from getting involved in the drug trade.
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