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A nighttime operation by Guyanese authorities located 77 Cuban nationals inside a building in Georgetown this weekend, amid an investigation into possible human trafficking.
According to information published by the local media INews Guyana, the intervention was carried out as part of a joint anti-TIP (which stands for Trafficking in Persons) exercise and left dozens of Cubans present in the building under evaluation.
According to the Guyana Police Force, the operation took place between 10:15 p.m. on Saturday, February 7, and 12:03 a.m. on Sunday, February 8, 2026, in a building located at the intersection of Charlotte and Albert streets in the capital of the country.
The exercise was led by officers from the Human Trafficking Unit, part of the Criminal Investigation Department, along with personnel from the Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security, specifically from the C-TIP unit.
Upon arriving at the location, authorities found 77 Cubans —men and women— and proceeded to examine them for signs of human trafficking.
One of the most delicate elements of the case is that, according to police reports cited by INews Guyana, several Cubans stated that they traveled to Guyana "on credit" and that their travel documents were withheld while they waited to pay the corresponding debt.
According to the police, these statements are part of the ongoing investigation.
The Guyanese outlet Demerara Waves also reported that the Cubans stated their passports were being held until they paid the money owed, raising suspicions of a potential scheme of exploitation or control.
There were no arrests, but the investigation is ongoing.
The police reported that the premises were searched, but nothing illegal was found and no arrests were made.
The Cubans were handed over to the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security for further evaluation and assistance, assured the Guyana Chronicle.
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