Tag: trafficking

Pillion rider sentenced to 36 months, rider remanded for narcotics trafficking

Posted on by Aliyah Persaud

Jamera Wills, 31, a miner of 40 Savannah Park, New Amsterdam, and 22-year-old unemployed Daniel Quintyn of 43 Stanleytown, New Amsterdam, appeared before Magistrate Michelle Matthias at the Blairmont Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, charged with possession of narcotics for the purpose of trafficking.
Court proceedings revealed that on Saturday, January 3, 2026, at approximately 15:45 hrs, police were conducting stop-and-search operations along the Naarstigheid Public Road, West Coast Berbice.
During the operation, officers stopped motorcycle CM 4437, which was travelling towards Georgetown, with Wills as the rider and Quintyn as the pillion passenger.
Police reported that Quintyn behaved suspiciously during the stop, prompting officers to search a haversack he was carrying.
The search uncovered nine parcels containing leaves, seeds, and stems suspected to be cannabis. The men were arrested and taken to the Fort Wellington Police Station, where the suspected narcotics were weighed in their presence and found to total 3.70 kilogrammes. Quintyn admitted ownership of the drugs.
In court, Wills pleaded not guilty to the charge, while Quintyn pleaded guilty. As a result, Wills was remanded to prison and is scheduled to return to court on January 29, 2026. His matter has been transferred to the Fort Wellington Magistrates’ Court.
Quintyn told the court that financial pressures had driven him to traffic the drugs in an effort to settle outstanding debts.
Despite his explanation, Magistrate Matthias cited the seriousness of the offence and sentenced him to 36 months’ imprisonment, along with a fine equivalent to three times the street value of the seized narcotics.

Guyana retains Tier 1 ranking in 2025 U.S. Trafficking in Persons report

Posted on by Aliyah Persaud

Guyana has once again secured a Tier 1 ranking in the 2025 Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report issued by the U.S. Department of State, marking the ninth consecutive year the country has been recognized for serious and sustained efforts to combat human trafficking.

The annual report evaluates global anti-trafficking measures and highlights individual country performance in addressing the issue.

Minister of Home Affairs, Hon. Oneidge Walrond, described the ranking as evidence of the Government’s “unwavering dedication and effective action in fighting human trafficking.”

She said the Ministry of Home Affairs, supported by the Ministerial Taskforce on Trafficking in Persons, non-governmental organizations, civil society stakeholders, and other partners, remains committed to eradicating human trafficking within Guyana and across the region.

“Our comprehensive approach includes safeguarding vulnerable populations, increasing training and awareness, intensifying spot inspections and anti-trafficking operations, and through the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security, providing robust support and protection to victims and survivors, pursuing relentless prosecution of offenders, and fostering strong partnerships both locally and internationally,” Walrond stated.

The report noted several advancements in Guyana’s anti-trafficking framework, including an increased prosecution rate, the successful conviction of a sex trafficker with an ordered restitution payment, greater collaboration with foreign governments on investigations, and increased funding for prevention and protection efforts.

It also set out 12 recommendations for Guyana, among them: expanding prosecutions and convictions, particularly in cases involving child victims; eliminating recruitment fees for workers; strengthening labour and spot inspections in vulnerable sectors such as mining and logging; enforcing restitution orders promptly; screening at-risk groups, including migrants, for trafficking indicators; and ensuring traffickers and complicit officials face appropriate penalties.

Minister Walrond emphasized that government intends to address the recommendations with urgency through “advanced policies, rigorous monitoring, and strengthened partnerships to disrupt trafficking networks and safeguard victims.”

The public is encouraged to report suspected cases of trafficking to the Counter-Trafficking in Persons 24/7 hotlines at 227-4083, 623-5030, or 624-0079 (Spanish), or to any agency on the Ministerial Taskforce on Trafficking in Persons.

Two men sentenced after guilty pleas in separate CANU trafficking cases

Posted on by Aliyah Persaud

Two men who pleaded guilty to drug trafficking offences in separate Magistrate’s Courts in Georgetown and Sparendaam were sentenced on Monday.

In Georgetown Magistrate’s Court, before Magistrate Azore, Jason Bascom admitted to possession of 4.078 kg of cannabis for the purpose of trafficking. He was sentenced to three years’ imprisonment and fined GYD$30,000. CANU listed the case among its daily court updates.

At Sparendaam Magistrate’s Court, before Magistrate Nurse, Colin Moore pleaded guilty to possession of 16.784 kg of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking. He was sentenced to four years’ imprisonment and fined GYD$25,170,000. CANU’s public court updates noted the conviction and sentence.

The cocaine charge against Moore follows earlier reports from July 2025, when he and two others were remanded after an operation at Turkeyen/MovieTowne, during which agents allegedly discovered approximately 16.784 kg of cocaine. That matter initially proceeded through the Sparendaam court before reaching its resolution this month.