VZCZCXRO0707
RR RUEHGR
DE RUEHGE #1215/01 3201131
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 161131Z NOV 06
FM AMEMBASSY GEORGETOWN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4420
INFO RUCNCOM/EC CARICOM COLLECTIVE
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHINGTON DC
RUEAWJA/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHINGTON DC
RUMIAAA/HQ USSOUTHCOM J2 MIAMI FL
RUEHLMC/MILLENNIUM CHALLENGE CORPORATION WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 GEORGETOWN 001215 
 
SIPDIS 
 
JUSTICE FOR AFMLS, OIA, AND OPDAT 
TREASURY FOR FINCEN 
INL 
WHA/CAR 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EFIN KCRM KTFN GY
SUBJECT: 2006-2007 INTERNATIONAL NARCOTICS CONTROL STRATEGY REPORT 
(INCSR) PART I: GUYANA 
 
REF: A.STATE 147534 
      B.STATE 146694 
      C.STATE 146620 
 
GEORGETOWN 00001215  001.2 OF 003 
 
 
¶1. The following text is post's narrative for Part I of the 
2006-2007 International Narcotics Control Strategy Report, Drugs and 
Chemical Controls for Guyana. 
 
BEGIN TEXT: 
 
¶2. Guyana is a transshipment point for cocaine destined for North 
America, Europe, and the Caribbean. Interdictions and seizures of 
drugs in Guyana totaled approximately 47 kgs of cocaine and 6,560 
kgs of marijuana in 2006.  The Government of Guyana's (GOG) 
inability to control its borders, a lack of law enforcement 
presence, and a lack of aircraft or patrol boats allow traffickers 
to move drug shipments via sea, river, and air with little 
resistance.  The GOG launched its National Drug Strategy Master Plan 
(NDSMP) for 2005-2009 in June 2005. However, the GOG has yet to 
implement the NDSMP's substantive initiatives. Guyana is a party to 
the 1988 UN Convention Against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and 
Psychotropic Substances (the 1988 UN Drug Convention) but still 
needs to pass and implement additional legislation to meet its 
obligations under the convention. 
II. Status of Country 
¶3. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime last estimated the 
quantity of cocaine transiting Guyana in 2000-2001 at 20-25 metric 
tons annually.  Updated figures are not available. Using those dated 
figures, narcotics traffickers may earn US$150 million annually, and 
possibly more, by trafficking cocaine through Guyana.  Accurately 
determining the trend in drug transit is difficult given the gap 
between the amount of drugs seized and the estimates of total drugs 
trafficked. There have not been any large domestic seizures since a 
1998 joint Guyanese/U.S. operation confiscated 3,154 kilograms of 
cocaine from a ship docked in Georgetown. 
¶4. Guyana's vast expanse of unpopulated forest offers cover for drug 
traffickers.  In 2005, Aurelius Inc., a company controlled by now 
indicted drug trafficker Shaheed 'Roger' Khan, applied for a State 
Forest Exploratory Permit for a large tract of land in Guyana's 
interior.  Although Aurelius withdrew its application following 
Kahn's arrest, the potential for abuse still exists.  Such 
concessions in the remote interior may allow drug traffickers to 
establish autonomous outposts beyond the reach of Guyanese law 
enforcement.  In response to this threat, the GOG announced proposed 
legislation requiring stronger background checks on investors 
applying for timber concessions.  The legislation has not yet been 
introduced. 
¶5. There are allegations that high-ranking officials in the Guyana 
Police Force (GPF) have ties to drug traffickers. Government 
counternarcotics efforts are further undermined by the lack of 
adequate resources for law enforcement, poor coordination among law 
enforcement agencies, and a weak judicial system. The Guyanese media 
regularly report murders, kidnappings, and other violent crimes 
commonly believed to be linked with narcotics trafficking. Guyana 
produces cannabis, but not coca leaf or cocaine. Guyana is not known 
to produce, trade, or transit precursor chemicals on a large scale. 
 
III. Country Actions Against Drugs in 2006 
¶6. Policy Initiatives. Guyana launched its ambitious 2005-2009 NDSMP 
in June 2005. The NDSMP's programs are divided into Supply Reduction 
and Demand Reduction. The Supply Reduction agenda calls for 
improving the justice system's ability to handle drug cases, making 
the Joint Intelligence Coordination Center (JICC) operational, 
closer cooperation between and better technology for law enforcement 
agencies, and tighter control of border posts and airstrips. The 
Demand Reduction agenda includes developing rehabilitation 
capabilities as well as media and education programs. The government 
estimates that implementing the 2005-2009 NDSMP will cost 
approximately US$3.3 million. The Financial Investigations Unit 
(FIU), established in 2003 with material support from the U.S., is 
handicapped by the lack of effective legislation to deal with money 
laundering, such as the absence of regulations to allow for seizing 
assets. 
¶7. Accomplishments. The launch of the 2005-2009 NDSMP after a 
five-year gap was significant. The GOG, however, has yet to 
establish a secretariat to oversee the plan and has made little 
progress in achieving or maintaining compliance with the goals and 
objectives of the 1988 UN Drug Convention. In 2006, Guyanese law 
enforcement agencies made no publicly reported cocaine seizures in 
excess of 10 kilograms. 
¶8. In 2006, known Guyanese drug trafficker Roger Kahn was indicted 
by a federal court in New York for conspiracy to import cocaine into 
the United States.  Kahn was apprehended in Trinidad by U.S. DEA 
 
GEORGETOWN 00001215  002.2 OF 003 
 
 
agents and is currently incarcerated in New York awaiting trial. 
¶9. Law Enforcement Efforts. The GoG's counternarcotics efforts 
suffer from a lack of adequate law enforcement resources, poor 
inter-agency coordination, and the perception of widespread 
corruption. Several agencies share responsibility for 
counternarcotics activities: the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) 
is tasked with conducting enforcement activities mainly at ports of 
entry; the Guyana Police Force (GPF) Narcotics Branch is the 
principal element in the police responsible for enforcement of drug 
laws domestically; and the Guyana Defense Force Coast Guard (GDFCG) 
has the lead for maritime counternarcotics operations. There is 
little productive interaction or intelligence sharing among these 
organizations. For example, according to the 2005-2009 NDSMP, the 
JICC is supposed "to bring together various counternarcotics 
agencies in a single work environment, encourage the sharing of 
information and intelligence."   It is unclear whether the JICC is 
currently operational. 
¶10. In 2006, the GPF Narcotics Branch and CANU arrested drug 
couriers at Guyana's international airport en route to the 
Caribbean, North America, and Europe. However, the arrests were 
limited to individuals with small amounts of marijuana, crack 
cocaine or powder cocaine, usually on charges of possession for the 
purpose of trafficking. Authorities have not successfully acted 
against major traffickers and their organizations. According to 
publicly reported arrests, authorities recovered only 47 kilograms 
of cocaine in 2006. This is similar to 2005, but represents a 
significant decrease from 2004 and 2003, when authorities recovered 
269 kilograms and 277 kilograms of cocaine, respectively. Government 
and DEA officials believe that counternarcotics agencies interdict 
only a small percentage of the cocaine that transits Guyana. The 
U.S. donated a fast interceptor boat to the GDFCG in May 2005. The 
GDFCG conducts patrols with the interceptor boat, but has not yet 
interdicted any narcotics shipments.  While CANU is responsible for 
patrolling Guyana's ports, they have only one team of six officers 
available to secure all five main transit points.  CANU has no 
officers patrolling the numerous land entry points on the Venezuela, 
Brazil, and Surinam borders. 
¶11. Corruption. There is no evidence that GOG facilitates the 
production, processing, or shipment of narcotic and psychotropic 
drugs or other controlled substances, nor is there evidence that it 
discourages the investigation or prosecution of such acts. Guyana is 
party to the Inter-American Convention Against Corruption (IACAC), 
but has yet to fully implement its provisions, such as seizure of 
property obtained through corruption. News media routinely report on 
instances of corruption reaching to high levels of government that 
go uninvestigated and unpunished. The former Minister of Home 
Affairs, who underwent a long, public investigation regarding his 
possible connection with an extra-judicial killing squad and who had 
improperly issued firearm licenses to known criminals, resigned 
under pressure from the international community in 2005. He was 
subsequently named by the GOG to serve as the country's Ambassador 
to India. Guyana is not a party to the UN Convention Against 
Corruption. 
¶12. Agreements and Treaties. Guyana is party to the 1988 UN Drug 
Convention, the 1961 UN Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, as 
amended by the 1972 Protocol, and the 1971 UN Convention on 
Psychotropic Substances. Guyana also is a party to the UN Convention 
Against Transnational Organized Crime and its protocol on 
trafficking in persons. The 1931 Extradition Treaty between the 
United States and the United Kingdom is applicable to the U.S. and 
Guyana. Guyana signed a bilateral agreement with the U.S. on 
maritime counternarcotics cooperation in 2001.  Guyana has bilateral 
agreements to cooperate on drug trafficking issues with its 
neighbors and with the United Kingdom. Guyana is also a member of 
the Organization of American States' Inter-American Drug Abuse 
Control Commission (OAS/CICAD). 
¶13. Cultivation and Production. Cannabis cultivation occurs in 
Guyana on a limited scale, primarily in the intermediate savannahs. 
Police regularly discover and eradicate cannabis cultivation sites 
when conducting area sweeps. The 2005-2009 NDSMP reported that 
authorities destroyed a total of 68.5 hectares and over 63,000 
kilograms of cannabis plants during the 1999-2003 period. Guyana 
authorities discovered and destroyed more than 6,500 kgs of 
marijuana in 2006. 
¶14. Drug Flow/Transit.  While there is little concrete evidence of 
large cocaine shipments transiting through Guyana, strong anecdotal 
evidence suggests that cocaine flows through Guyana's remote, 
uncontrolled borders and coastline. Light aircraft land at numerous 
isolated airstrips or make airdrops into rivers where operatives on 
the ground retrieve the drugs. Smugglers use small boats and 
freighters to enter Guyana's many remote but navigable rivers. 
Smugglers also take direct routes, such as driving or boating across 
the uncontrolled borders with Brazil, Suriname, and Venezuela. 
 
GEORGETOWN 00001215  003.2 OF 003 
 
 
Inside the country, narcotics are transported to Georgetown by road, 
water, or air and then sent on to the Caribbean, North America, or 
Europe via commercial air carriers or cargo ships. "Go-fast" speed 
boats may also carry cocaine from Guyana's rivers to mother-ships in 
the Atlantic. Authorities have arrested drug mules attempting to 
smuggle cocaine on virtually every northbound route out of the 
international airport. 
¶15. Drug traffickers also use cargo ships to export narcotics from 
Guyana, either directly to North America and Europe, or through 
intermediate Caribbean ports. In July, Spanish police broke up a 
drug-smuggling ring that used yachts hired out for family holidays 
to import more than 800 kgs of cocaine into Britain and Spain. 
Authorities said the drugs were loaded off Venezuela, Guyana and 
Suriname and hidden below the decks while paying passengers took 
cruises.  Drug traffickers have used export commodities as a cover 
for shipping cocaine out of the country.  For example, in August 
2006, a woman was arrested at Guyana's international airport 
attempting to ship approximately 10 kgs of cocaine concealed inside 
cabbages. 
¶16. Demand Reduction (Domestic Programs). Marijuana is sold and 
consumed openly in Guyana, despite frequent arrests for possessing 
small amounts of cannabis. CANU and the 2005-2009 NDSMP both note 
that consumption of cocaine powder, crack cocaine, ecstasy, and 
heroin has been on the rise.  According to local drug abuse 
counselors, the number of school-aged ecstasy users has grown 
alarmingly. A survey cited in the 2005-2009 NDSMP reported that 27 
percent of the 11-19 year-old children interviewed nationwide had 
seen cocaine. The same survey reported that 60 percent of children 
in Region 1 (on the border with Venezuela) said they had seen 
cocaine. The 2005-2009 NDSMP includes several measures to reduce 
demand for narcotics. The strategy includes safe lifestyle programs, 
stronger health and family life education, targeted surveys and 
compilation of social statistics, and a media strategy to promote 
drug awareness. The Ministry of Health and the Office of the 
President will administer most of these plans. As with the 2005-2009 
NDSMP's other components, the government has yet to fully implement 
a program to reduce demand for illegal drugs. Guyana's ability to 
deal with drug abusers is limited by a lack of financial resources 
to support rehabilitation programs. Guyana only has two facilities 
that treat substance abuse - the Salvation Army and the Phoenix 
Recovery Center.  Both of these facilities are "men only" - there 
are no treatment facilities for women in Guyana.  There are no 
adequate programs to deal with substance abuse in the prisons. 
IV. U.S. Policy Initiatives and Programs 
¶17. U.S. Policy Initiatives. U.S. policy focuses on cooperating with 
Guyana's law enforcement agencies and promoting good governance. 
U.S. funded training and technical support are key components of 
this strategy. U.S. officials continued to encourage Guyanese 
participation in bilateral and multilateral counternarcotics 
initiatives. USAID is funding projects to improve governance in 
Guyana, which includes parliamentary and judicial reform. 
¶18. Bilateral Cooperation. The DEA works with Guyana's government 
and law enforcement agencies to develop initiatives that will 
enhance their counternarcotics activities. The GOG recently granted 
diplomatic credentials to DEA officers covering Guyana out of 
Trinidad.  High-ranking representatives from the GPF and the GDF 
attended the Regional Air Force Conference in San Antonio in 2006. 
U.S. officials continue to work closely with the FIU in its 
fledgling efforts to curb money laundering. 
¶19. The Road Ahead. Guyana's lack of resources significantly hampers 
its ability to mount an effective counternarcotics campaign. As is 
the case in many drug transshipment countries, there is a growing 
problem with drug use in Guyana.  The U.S. will channel future 
assistance to initiatives that demonstrate success in interdicting 
drug flows and prosecuting drug traffickers. Efforts in this area 
include strengthening Guyana's judicial system, law enforcement 
infrastructure, and counternarcotics legislation. Trafficking and 
corruption put added pressure on an already challenged economic, 
social and political infrastructure. The U.S. will continue to 
encourage participation in bilateral and multilateral initiatives, 
as well as implementation of current international conventions and 
agreements. 
 
END TEXT. 
 
¶20. Requests for further information should be submitted to John 
Zak, Political Officer at zakje@state.gov. 
 
ROBINSON