By Kurt Campbell
[www.inewsguyana.com] – Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee disclosed Wednesday morning (February 12) that local law enforcement agencies are currently at work to determine the extent to which foreign drug lords are connected to Guyana after the country was named among other ports used by an international alliance between the New York Mafia and a powerful crime syndicate in Italy to smuggle drugs.
According to Rohee, he is awaiting a report from local law enforcement on the matter and is hopeful that it will provide them with information that will help to dismantle connections that foreign drug lords have with Guyana.
Rohee said he is also hopeful that Guyana can collaborate with other countries in that regard.
“I am always happy whenever large amounts of cocaine are seized in any part of the world because this is consistent with the fight against drug trafficking… so law enforcement in Guyana or the United States, Europe or Africa… I think anytime they score victory such as this it will be welcomed and we will be happy to be part of any such exercise.”
On Tuesday (February 11), news surfaced that more than 20 gangsters were busted in New York for drug trafficking and other offenses.
“Six Gambino and Bonanno crime family mobsters were rounded up early Tuesday by the FBI along with one member of the Calabria-based,” ‘Ndrangheta, authorities said. The Italian police reportedly also arrested 17 members of the syndicate.
Prosecutors said the New York Mafia conspired with the Italian syndicate to traffic cocaine and heroin stashed in shipments of pineapples, frozen fish and other food.
The shipments traveled through ports in Guyana, where Mexican drug cartel members facilitated deliveries, prosecutors said. The ‘Ndrangheta guaranteed smooth import and export from Italy thanks to a corrupt port official in Gioia Tauro, Calabria.
Authorities dealt a blow to the massive conspiracy when shipping containers originating from Guyana were seized in Malaysia. The containers held over $7 million in cocaine hidden in pineapples and coconut milk, prosecutors said.
