Cocaine intercepted in Guyana-linked containers

February 12 2025

The Customs Anti Narcotic Unit (CANU) has been formally notified by overseas law enforcement agencies of cocaine discovered in two separate shipping containers that originated from Guyana and were intercepted in Europe and South America in February 2026.

CANU reported that both containers had been thoroughly inspected prior to departing Guyana, with no irregularities detected at the time. The shipments were declared as containing rice and chemicals, respectively.

According to a statement from the agency, preliminary findings suggest that the containers were transshipped en route to their final destinations, raising strong suspicion that the cocaine was introduced during the transshipment process. Authorities noted that this tactic is commonly used by transnational drug trafficking networks to bypass security measures at ports of origin.

CANU is currently working closely with international law enforcement partners as investigations continue.

CANU states “given the sensitive nature of the ongoing inquiries, further details cannot be disclosed at this time.”

The agency reaffirmed its commitment to combating narcotics trafficking and strengthening regional and international cooperation to dismantle organised criminal networks. CANU is also collaborating with local agencies, including the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) and the Guyana Police Force (GPF), as part of ongoing investigations.