Historic drug seizures signal strengthened US-Guyana security partnership – State Dept. Report

Guyana significantly advanced its counter-narcotics efforts in 2024, executing the largest drug seizure in its history and highlighting its evolving partnership with the United States, according to the U.S. Department of State’s 2025 International Narcotics Control Strategy Report.

In a major joint operation involving the Guyana Defence Force, the Customs Anti-Narcotic Unit (CANU), and U.S. law enforcement, authorities confiscated 4.4 metric tonnes of cocaine at a remote airstrip near the Venezuelan border in early 2024. Later that year, a separate maritime operation intercepted a self-propelled semi-submersible vessel approximately 150 miles off Guyana’s coast, containing a further 2.3 tonnes of the drug.

These two seizures, with an estimated combined street value of over US$195 million, represent a dramatic escalation in Guyana’s interdiction capabilities—particularly in contrast to the 62 kilograms seized during the same period in 2023.

The State Department’s report praised the progress, stating, “These achievements reflect the deepening cooperation between Guyana and the United States and our shared commitment to dismantling regional narcotics networks.”

The report credits the enhanced outcomes to ongoing collaboration through the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative (CBSI) and bilateral agreements enabling joint maritime and aerial patrols.

The success has spurred discussions on scaling up technological surveillance and training programmes, as Guyana positions itself as a leading regional partner in the global fight against narcotics trafficking.