A six-month training program to strengthen Guyanese port security and container control concluded on May 25 with 14 graduates from the Guyana Police Force (GPF), Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA), Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU), Maritime Administration Department (MARAD), and the Guyana Defence Force Coast Guard. Funding for the training was provided through the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL), in collaboration with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime’s (UNODC) Container Control Programme, and the World Customs Organization.
This training provided the tools to strengthen container security protocols and increase knowledge of narcotics smuggling typologies.
“The techniques we have learned in this training we will introduce into our current container inspection protocols”, said one of the participants from CANU.
UNODC’s Container Control Programme works worldwide to promote legitimate trade by enhancing container screening capacities. It provides training, equipment, and access to communications data and tools from the World Customs Organization.
This program is part of the ongoing commitment by the United States to combat crime, enhance Guyanese law enforcement professionalization, and improve regional security.