President wants U.S info on Guyana links to Drug Mafia

In wake of the breakup of a major drug cartel and mafia operation in the United States and Italy and the links of the groups to Guyana, President Donald Ramotar said he has instructed his Minister of Home Affairs Clement Rohee to write the United States and request additional information about the local links to the criminal operation and some of the persons here who might be involved.

In court documents presented on Tuesday in the Eastern New York District Court, the Federal Bureau of Investigations reported on the international mafia and drug cartel organisation that was making moves to have over 1,00o pounds of cocaine shipped from Guyana in containers and frozen food. Though the report does not name specific persons in Guyana, it pointed to recorded telephone conversations that created the links to this country and the drug trade here.

Speaking at the Commissioning Parade for new officers of the Guyana Defence Force on Wednesday afternoon, President Ramotar said he has seen the reports of the international drug ring involving the United States, Guyana and Italy.

“I have directed Minister of Home Affairs to write to the United States to ask them to give us the information that they probably have and to extend to them our commitment and full cooperation to fighting these and bringing these to justice in our country. Guyana must not be a safe haven for any of these types of criminals”, the President said.

He noted that with the changing nature of crime when it comes to drug trafficking and the drug trade, the Guyana Defence Force will be called upon to do more and assist the other agencies to stamp out the problem.

U.S Ambassador to Guyana, Brent Hardt who also attended the Commissioning ceremony told News Source that the matter is before the U.S Justice Department and the Government of Guyana would be aware of the procedures to be employed by law enforcement agencies to get the information.

The latest link between drug traffickers in Guyana to the international drug trade and drug cartels and the mafia comes less than a week after the Home Affairs Minister declared that there was not enough information locally to go after drug king pins in Guyana. The Opposition parties have been pressing the Government to do more to tackle the drug trafficking problem.

On Wednesday, Leader of the Opposition, Brigadier (Rtd) David Granger paid a courtesy call on the Chief of Staff of the Guyana Defence Force and raised the issue.

Brigadier Mark Phillips told News Source that the military was prepared to play its part in tackling the drug trade and support the Guyana Police Force which would be the lead agency in the fight. He said the GDF is in need of more equipment to continue doing its work and meet the challenges and noted that he was heartened to see the Government and Opposition appearing on the same page when it comes to providing the military with more resources so that it could better assist in the narco fight.

Guyana has been named repeatedly in several U.S State Department reports as a country used heavily by drug traffickers to get their illegal products to markets in Europe and North America.