Guyana calls for stronger regional action as INTERPOL Americas Conference gets underway

Guyana is calling for a faster, more coordinated regional response to transnational organised crime, as Georgetown hosts the 27th INTERPOL Americas Regional Conference for the first time.

Performing the functions of President, Prime Minister Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips, delivered the feature address on Wednesday at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC), where approximately 50 officials from 37 countries are meeting for two days to examine shared security challenges.

The prime minister said Guyana’s location between South America and the Caribbean, combined with its land borders, Atlantic waters and connections to both regions, makes the country a significant point for discussions on cross-border crime.

He said criminal organisations are increasingly exploiting ports, waterways, financial systems and differences between national laws, with operations often planned and financed across multiple jurisdictions.

“Narcotics and illegal firearms travel through common channels, while traffickers and smugglers profit from people already placed in desperate circumstances,” Prime Minister Phillips said.

He also identified cybercrime, money laundering, illegal mining and the unlawful trade in natural resources as sources of wealth for organised criminal groups, with consequences including violence, corruption and damage to communities.

Amid these growing challenges, Prime Minister Phillips said the ability of law enforcement agencies to respond across jurisdictions must keep pace with the speed at which criminal networks operate.

“Once an investigation crosses a national boundary, any delay can shift the advantage to the offender and place justice further out of reach,” he said.

The prime minister pointed to INTERPOL’s I 24/7 network, notices and diffusions as mechanisms that allow authorised officers to securely exchange information, access international police records and extend investigations beyond the country where they began.

Guyana’s experience includes Operation Guyana Shield in December 2025, which brought together authorities from Brazil, French Guiana, Guyana and Suriname in coordinated action against illegal gold mining and its links to organised crime.

Over 24,500 checks were conducted, resulting in 198 arrests and the seizure of criminal assets and materials used in illegal operations.

“These cases demonstrate the value of cooperation, but they also reveal where the system remains vulnerable,” Prime Minister Phillips said.

He said the effectiveness of international intelligence ultimately depends on whether it reaches the official responsible for acting on it, while ensuring that information is used lawfully and with the safeguards necessary to maintain public confidence.

Prime Minister Phillips said the regional conference must ultimately be measured by what follows the discussions, including the ability of institutions to exchange information promptly, establish clear channels of assistance and respond effectively when criminal investigations extend across jurisdictions.

“The true value of this conference will become apparent after the delegates have departed and the agreements reached here are tested by actual events,” he said.

Meanwhile, Minister of Home Affairs Oneidge Walrond said Guyana’s hosting of the conference reflects its growing engagement in regional and international law enforcement cooperation and the confidence placed in the country as a committed partner within the INTERPOL network.

She said the country’s security approach must extend beyond responding to crime, encompassing the protection of people, borders, institutions and critical infrastructure.

“Partnership, therefore, cannot simply be a diplomatic principle. It must be an operational reality,” Minister Walrond said.

The minister said successive national budgets between 2020 and 2026 allocated approximately $467 billion to public safety and security, while $100 billion was budgeted for the security sector in 2026.

She said the investment is supporting police infrastructure, mobility, training, investigative capacity, border security, communications and technology, as well as the continued expansion of the Safe Country Initiative.

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