Huge Matthews Ridge bust raises disturbing questions - PNCR/APNU
The opposition PNCR/APNU yesterday said that the massive drug bust on Saturday at Matthews Ridge by a joint services team raises disturbing concerns and has far-reaching implications for the country’s national security.
In a statement yesterday, the opposition grouping said that the operation exposes several breaches and failings which, if not vigorously confronted and addressed, would see Guyana remaining a major transshipment point for drugs and a locus for other aspects of transnational organized crimes, such as gun smuggling and trafficking in persons.
Those concerns and implications, it said, include the undetected construction and maintenance of illegal airstrips on Guyana’s territory.
“Constructing and preserving airstrips in Guyana’s hinterland would require the use of manpower and heavy-duty machinery, involve noisy and extensive deforestation and construction operations, and leave telltale footprints that could be easily detectable from the ground and air. How could such airstrips be constructed in secrecy is a question the government must answer. If, as reported, that such airstrips are monitored by the GDF, why are they not promptly destroyed as a matter of policy? We, in the PNCR/APNU, remain skeptical that Guyana has an effective system to detect, let alone to destroy, these illegal airstrips”, the opposition grouping said.
It added that Guyanese remain doubtful over the ability of the security forces to detect and track illegal flights into Guyana.
“Adequate satellite and ground surveillance systems must be put in place to detect and track all flights into and over Guyana, whether legal or illegal”, PNCR/APNU said.
It stated that the Matthews Ridge drug bust raises more points of concern than praise.
“Given the PPP’s record, we do not anticipate any serious investigation or major arrests. As the next government, we will confront drug trafficking not only as a criminal enterprise, but as a danger and threat to our national security and territorial integrity. One of our main approaches will be to win the trust and cooperation of residents in our Hinterland communities in making them a major line of defence and source of intelligence. We will also invest in training and technologies to boost our detection and surveillance capacity. We will professionalize the police force and restore and enhance its credibility and effectiveness. None of this will occur under the current PPP government”, PNCR/APNU said.
A joint operation, assisted by the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), on Saturday resulted in the seizure of 4,400 kilogrammes of cocaine valued at
€176 million or more than US$200 million at locations just off of an illegal airstrip at Matthews Ridge in Region One (Barima-Waini) said to be one of largest here.
The drugs were destroyed on location, but samples were taken as investigations continue.
“The operation was driven by intelligence regarding illegal flights into Guyana and was supported by information shared with the DEA and other international partners,” the Customs AntiNarcotic Unit (CANU) said in a statement on Sunday.
CANU Head James Singh said on Sunday that the operation was one of many CANU had conducted over the past five months with the GDF to identify and monitor illegal airstrips. “In this case we were lucky as we were able to seize the drugs before they were transshipped to another location,” he said.
The airstrip he said was not gazetted by the government and was thus illegally built to accommodate small aircraft. The large amount of drugs, he posited, was not for the local market as the packaging was indicative that it was to be moved onwards.