According to the 2023 Global Organised Crime Index (GOCI), Guyana is facing several challenges when it comes to combating various illegal activities such as human trafficking.
While the country has been praised for its efforts to combat human trafficking, Guyana faces difficulties in identifying and investigating the crime in remote areas where it is prevalent. Human trafficking is particularly common in mining sites, where women, especially Venezuelan, are forced into the sex trade. Child labour is also a prevalent issue, especially in Amerindian households.
Arms trafficking, the GOCI noted, is a prevalent issue in Guyana with limited transparency on the extent of activities. This trade, it said, is facilitated by the security forces and profits benefit Brazilian gangs. Counterfeit goods, particularly electronic merchandise, medical products, and pesticides are a major concern, though there is no evidence linking criminal organizations to this activity in the country. Guyana’s authorities are taking steps to develop state capacities and regional strategies to combat these problems. The legal forestry industry in Guyana is another area of concern according to the GOCI, since it is used for money laundering and cocaine trafficking, despite the country’s success in protecting the Amazon rainforest.
Deforestation is driven by gold mining, infrastructure, logging, and agriculture, with foreign demand and profits being extracted externally. Verification systems are essential to prevent illegal logging and export of illegally deforested timber. Though the illegal wildlife trade is not widespread in Guyana, animals are smuggled to markets in Mexico, Singapore, and the US, with the pet trade and wild meat consumption posing a threat. Trafficking in non-renewable resources such as gold and mercury remains a significant problem, with illegal mining and logging in protected areas, and diamonds smuggled from Venezuela through Guyana to Europe.
The Index also noted that Guyana is experiencing a rise in the heroin trade, trafficked to the US and Europe through the country by Mexican and Italian criminal organizations.
The country is also a crucial transit point for cocaine trafficking from Colombia, with local gangs controlling the sale of cannabis. Synthetic drugs such as ecstasy and amphetamines are becoming more popular amongst younger generations. However, the amount seized remains relatively low.
Cyber-attacks, particularly ransomware, are frequently aimed at Guyanese government ministries and agencies, but are usually kept secret. The GOCI pointed out that such attacks pose a significant threat to Guyana’s security operations, especially with the expected oil wealth, but no specific group or organization has been blamed for them.
Further, even though Guyana has improved its anti-corruption perception rankings, financial crimes are still prevalent in the country and are committed by both public and private entities. Procurement fraud, Ponzi and pyramid schemes, tax evasion, and wire transfer fraud through hacked emails are the most common offenses, but these also go unnoticed and underreported.
Meanwhile, the report noted that organized crime in Guyana continues to thrive despite the recent arrest of key criminals, as gang leaders operate under the radar and collude with state officials. Criminal networks, it said, engage in various illegal activities, including drug trafficking and human smuggling, aided by high-level political and corporate actors and foreign organizations. Illegal trade routes with neighboring countries have led to an increase in arms and drug trafficking, with foreign criminal actors from Mexico, Italy and Colombia also playing a major role. Additionally, there is a significant amount of human smuggling and trafficking, with some companies involved in forced labor. The wide borders with Venezuela and Brazil, coupled with the lack of state presence, make these areas vulnerable to criminal control.
Of major importance, the GOCI also highlighted the fact that the Guyana’s government is heavily centralized, controlled by a specific ethnic group, leading to weak institutions, a lack of accountability, and mistrust in the government. The discovery of offshore oil could exacerbate ethnic and social conflict and lead to wealth transfer to a small elite.
Corruption, illegal activities, and organized crime networks, the Index added, are common. Guyana faces challenges in enforcing human rights, combating transnational criminal activities, and supporting refugees and trafficking victims. The country has ratified international treaties but is limited in its participation in related organizations. Corruption and clientelism persist in law enforcement and judicial systems, hindering development objectives.
Guyana’s judicial system is also facing numerous impediments to effectively delivering justice, including a low number of judges and magistrates, political disputes, staff shortages, and limited resources. Corruption among prison officials exacerbates the situation, leading to prolonged pre-trial detention and high levels of prison overcrowding. Inadequate policing is also a problem due to issues such as repeat offenders being granted bail and a shortage of investigative staff.
It was also stated that the porous borders with neighbouring countries have allowed organized criminal groups to dominate various illicit activities, including drug and human trafficking, illegal gold mining, and arms trafficking. The border controls also enable the traffic of mercury to neighbouring countries, fueling illegal gold mining.
Additionally, money laundering is a significant issue in Guyana, with various forms used to carry out illegal financial activities. The Index said that despite measures by the government to strengthen oversight, the discovery of new oil and gas reserves poses a challenge. The country’s informal sector is crucial to the economy, which has grown considerably due to the newfound resources. However, bureaucratic hurdles and corruption in awarding government contracts and red tape remain challenges to achieving lasting change.
The GOCI noted that refugees in Guyana impacted by gender-based violence and sex trafficking are not receiving enough support, including reports of extortion by migration officials. Human trafficking victims, it said, are referred to social welfare and assistance programmes, but there is a lack of shelters for male or child victims and limited counseling resources. NGOs offer drug rehabilitation and advocates for police reform and human rights, but civic participation is low. Issues with freedom of the press arise with concerns about defamation charges and government surveillance. State-run media favours the ruling party.
Guyana is both a source and destination country for human trafficking victims, with vulnerable groups at higher risk. Organised crime networks recruit women for sexual slavery in brothels and nightclubs, with the mining, oil, forestry sectors, domestic service, and shops sustaining the trade. Additionally, Guyana serves as a source and transit country for individuals traveling illegally to the US and Canada.
The purpose of the Index is to furnish policymakers and continental/regional entities with metrics-driven data so that they can allocate their resources based on a comprehensive evaluation of the areas most susceptible to risk, as well as equip them with the necessary tools to assess the effectiveness of their remedial measures in curbing the onslaught of organized crime. This is the second rendition of the Global Index, which is released biennially.
