The Customs Anti-Narcotic Unit (CANU) has sounded a national early warning alert, this time for cannabis vape cartridges after officers made a seizure during an operation in Campbellville Housing Scheme, Georgetown.
In a press statement on Thursday CANU said, the cartridges—branded with colorful, professionally printed packaging—were designed to resemble consumer vape products but contained high-potency cannabis concentrates. Officials warn that the packaging appears deliberately styled to attract young people, raising concerns about rapid circulation if left unchecked.
Despite foreign labels such as “for medical use only”, CANU stressed that the products are fully prohibited under Guyana’s Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (Control) Act, Cap. 10:10. The law classifies cannabis, its resin, extracts, tinctures, and THC derivatives as controlled substances.
“This seizure highlights a dangerous shift toward disguised cannabis concentrates entering Guyana,” CANU noted, adding that possession, trafficking, importation, or sale of such products remains illegal.
Authorities also flagged serious health concerns. Cannabis vapes typically deliver concentrated doses of THC along with unverified chemical additives. With no local testing or regulatory approval, the risks of contamination and long-term harm are considered high.
The discovery has been logged into Guyana’s Early Warning System (EWS), which tracks packaging styles, chemical profiles, and trafficking trends linked to concentrated cannabis products. CANU said the cartridges are now classified as “high-risk emerging threats,” particularly for minors.