GEORGETOWN, Guyana (CMC):

Guyana's President Bharrat Jagdeo yesterday confirmed that he would dismiss the head of the Custom Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU), Orville Nedd, after he was among 10 persons who failed a lie detector test.

"No one is exempted, if you fail you have to go and he has to go," Jagdeo said.

"We have to ensure the integrity of persons employed at the unit and persons we can rely on as the fight against drug trafficking continues."

Needs a complete overhaul

The United States government had previously criticised the agency, saying that it was corrupt and needed a complete overhaul.

CANU is Guyana's premier drug enforcement agency, but it seldom makes any major drugs busts here although a number of Guyanese have been intercepted while trying to ship cocaine to the United States and Europe.

Jagdeo said that there would be a major reorganisation of the unit.

Sources close to CANU said the officers who are expected to receive termination letters soon were stunned by the results of the tests and were said to be considering their next move.