The Regional Security System (RSS), last year seized 918 kg of cocaine and 2071.4 lbs of marijuana with support from its Air Wing.
This was disclosed by Executive Director of the RSS, Commodore Errington Shurland, who also revealed that during 2022 there were cash seizures valued at XCD $4.5 million (Eastern Caribbean Dollars), restraints valued at XCD $8.7 million, confiscations to a value of XCD $227,750 and cash forfeitures of XCD $2.4 million, across RSS member states.
Outlining some of the achievements of the organisation while delivering opening remarks at the RSS’ Council of Ministers meeting on Wednesday at the Radisson Beach Resort in Grenada, Commodore Shurland pointed out that these accomplishments could not only be attributed to the RSS Headquarters, but were a result of the organisation’s collaboration with its strategic partners.
He noted that the region was vulnerable to a number of other threats including the nefarious use of technology and artificial intelligence, as well as the possibility of serious climatic events which could result in mass migration and an economy sustained by transnational criminal organisations.
According to Shurland, these foreseeable events suggest that there is a need to examine how civil society and other players in the international system can work in tandem with traditional law enforcement to address security concerns.
“The inclusion of non-traditional actors in the licit network’s counter strategy, and the emergence of environmental and cyber threats would therefore underpin the need for a network governance model to provide the framework through which this collaboration will take place,” he outlined.
Commodore Shurland also alluded to the increase in gun violence which has been crippling some regional jurisdictions and stressed the need for “hard and soft responses” to this crisis.
“Soft through constant positive messaging to our young people with the aid of social development programmes that consistently target troubled youth, and programmes that address issues related to recidivism. The hard responses require the commitment to put in place the necessary infrastructure to secure our borders and prevent the guns from entering our space as well as to treat to issues of corruption,” he explained.
(BT/PR)
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