The United States is deepening its security cooperation with Guyana in the fight against synthetic drugs. Between February 9th and 13th, forensic experts from the Guyana Forensic Science Laboratory joined colleagues from Saint Lucia, Jamaica, and The Bahamas at the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration’s Southeast Laboratory in Miami for a specialized training exchange.
The program, hosted by the DEA and the State Department’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, focused on advanced detection and reporting of synthetic narcotics through the DEA’s GUARDS initiative. Participants received both classroom instruction and hands‑on training in Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry techniques. They also observed DEA scientists process a 200‑kilogram cocaine seizure, applying the methods in real‑world conditions.
Officials say the collaboration directly supports Executive Order 14367, which designates fentanyl as a weapon of mass destruction. The training aims to close critical gaps in regional capacity for detecting, handling, and preserving evidence of fentanyl and other synthetic drugs.
The initiative was funded under the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative, which links Guyana and 12 other nations in efforts to dismantle transnational criminal networks and strengthen regional security.
The U.S. Embassy emphasized that this partnership represents a significant step forward in building the forensic capabilities needed to confront the evolving synthetic drug threat across the hemisphere.