Jagdeo appeals for U.S assistance to combat gun smuggling into Guyana

Vice President Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo on Thursday called for increased U.S. assistance in combatting the smuggling of firearms into Guyana. While he commended the Guyana Police Force and other local security agencies for their efforts and successes in addressing both domestic and transactional crimes, he highlighted a critical need for more robust international cooperation.

“The visible successes of the police force and joint services are due to the hard work of many people in these agencies. Inter-agency collaboration is occurring between all the agencies,” Jagdeo said, noting that improved intelligence and targeted operations have led to significant seizures of weapons and narcotics.

The latest operation, conducted on Wednesday, resulted in the Guyana Police Force (GPF) discovering a substantial cache of firearms and ammunition at a residence in Georgetown. The raid on Sandy Babb Street, Kitty, uncovered 26 handguns and high-powered rifles, along with a significant quantity of assorted ammunition.

Jagdeo highlighted that many of these weapons are smuggled into Guyana and the wider region from the United States. “They come in through barrels and various other methods. We need greater assistance to stop the flow of weapons into our region. A lot of these weapons come from the United States,” Jagdeo said.

He stressed the need for a balanced international effort in combating crime, urging for increased U.S. support. “We do a lot of work assisting in tackling drug trafficking, but we do not see the same level of effort from the U.S. in addressing the smuggling of guns into our territory,” Jagdeo added. He noted that this concern was previously raised with U.S. officials during President Barack Obama’s administration.

“We need enhanced collaboration to address the issue of guns,” Jagdeo reiterated.