SGAIA Moves Trucks with 50 Barrels of Chemical Precursors

After being authorized by a judge, these substances are put into a machine that immediately destroys them.

by Gerardo Rafael
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Guatemala City, by AGN – Julio Morales. The Ministry of the Interior Mingob, through the Anti-Narcotics Vice-Ministry, continues the transfer of chemical precursors to the Precursors Complex located in Finca Estanzuela, San José del Golfo.

Fernando Rodas, fifth anti-narcotics vice-minister, and Henry Arody Lopez, sub-director general of analysis and anti-narcotics information, were present at the precursor complex for the arrival of the trucks. Likewise, the authorities indicated that the substances have been confiscated in different sectors of the country.

“The government of Guatemala is pleased with the work that has been done in the transportation of chemical precursors. To this date, more than 530 metric tons of precursors have been moved,” said Rodas.

In this context, he added that the coordinated work has allowed the Empresa Portuaria Quetzal EPQ; Portuaria Santo Tomás de Castilla Empornac, and a warehouse in Samayac to be free of precursor storage.

President Alejandro Giammattei, through Mingob, has given priority to this topic. He pointed out that by freeing these port areas, the legal asset of health and an environment free of contamination is guaranteed.

Details

Last week, the Subdirectorate General of Analysis of Anti-Narcotic Information SGAIA staff and the Special Anti- Narcotics Unit Unesa, moved 160 barrels of chemical precursors from Puerto Quetzal, Escuintla. The purpose was to carry out the destruction process of the benzaldehyde-based chemicals.

 “This is the first time that this chemical has entered Guatemala and it is new for this complex. The crystal is used to manufacture synthetic drugs. Most of the chemicals come from Asian countries,” said Carlos Solis, technical secretary of the SGAIA.

In addition, according to Mingob authorities, chemical precursors are transported on a regular basis, with a monthly projection. The intention is to achieve the greatest amount of incineration in order to strengthen the fight against drug trafficking in the country.

After obtaining authorization from a judge, these substances are placed in a machine that immediately destroys all the chemicals.

Procedures Manual

The first meeting was held to advance with the procedures manual of the Container Control Unit.

The meeting included representatives of the SGAIA, Ministry of National Defense, Mindef, and the Superintendency of Tax Administration SAT.

The Public Ministry MP; the National Port Commission; the Port, Airports, and Border Points Division, as well as the Regional Representative of the Container Control Programme CCP of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, participated in the presentation of the manual’s contents.

The content of the manual is presented in order to establish the procedures for the daily operational work of the CCPs, in accordance with the competence of each institution.

In addition, it refers to the commitments assumed in the Memorandum of Understanding between the government of Guatemala and the United Nations, for the implementation of the Container Control Programme. Other proposals were also presented for the benefit of speeding up port activities.

Finally, the administration of President Alejandro Giammattei and the Minister of the Interior, David Napoleon Barrientos, continues to prioritize the transfer and destruction of precursors and chemical substances from other countries.

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