Guyana has recorded unprecedented success in its fight against drug trafficking, thanks to robust cooperation with the United States and other international partners. In 2024, the country executed the largest narcotics seizures in its history, signaling a new era of counter-narcotics enforcement and regional security collaboration.
Authorities reported that more than four metric tonnes of cocaine were confiscated during a joint operation involving the Customs Anti-Narcotic Unit (CANU), the Guyana Defence Force, and US law enforcement at a remote airstrip near the Venezuelan border. In a separate maritime operation, a self-propelled semi-submersible vessel-commonly known as a “narco-submarine”-was intercepted off Guyana’s coast, yielding an additional 2.3 tonnes of cocaine. Together, these seizures have an estimated street value exceeding US$195 million.
These operations represent a dramatic escalation in Guyana’s interdiction capabilities, especially when compared to the 62 kilograms seized during the same period in 2023. The US Department of State’s 2025 International Narcotics Control Strategy Report praised these achievements as evidence of deepening cooperation and shared commitment between Guyana and the United States to dismantle regional narcotics networks.
The success of these efforts is rooted in ongoing collaboration through the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative (CBSI), as well as bilateral agreements that enable joint maritime and aerial patrols. Guyana’s government has also prioritized the modernization of its legal framework, the launch of the National Defence Institute to enhance security expertise, and the implementation of strategic programmes under the National Drug Strategy 2022-2026.
President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali has reiterated the government’s zero-tolerance stance on drug trafficking, vowing to work with international partners to destabilize and dismantle all criminal networks operating within Guyana’s borders. The government’s commitment is further underscored by recent memoranda of understanding with the United States, aimed at strengthening cooperation on transnational drug crimes in the Caribbean region.
With these record-setting seizures and enhanced enforcement measures, Guyana has positioned itself as a leading partner in the global fight against narcotics trafficking, earning recognition and praise from the international community for its determined and collaborative approach.
