...US connects cocaine between Guyana and Colombia
WASHINGTON, D.C. — THE Government of Guyana has requested further details from U.S. authorities after a senior officer in the Guyana Police Force (GPF) was named in a sweeping drug trafficking sanctions list announced by the U.S. Department of the Treasury.
The request follows sanctions imposed on four Guyanese nationals and two Colombians accused of trafficking cocaine through the Caribbean, Europe, and the United States. The action stems from a 2024 discovery of 4.4 tons of cocaine in Guyana's Region One.
The individuals named by the U.S. Treasury Department are Guyanese nationals Paul Daby Jr., Randolph Duncan, Mark Cromwell, and Himnauth Sawh—a senior superintendent in the GPF—along with Colombians Yeison Andres Sanchez Vallejo and Manuel Salazar Gutierrez.
"OFAC designated Daby Jr., Duncan, Cromwell, Sawh, Sanchez, and Salazar pursuant to E.O. 14059 for having engaged in, or attempted to engage in, activities or transactions that have materially contributed to, or pose a significant risk of materially contributing to, the international proliferation of illicit drugs or their means of production,” the Treasury statement read.
According to U.S. officials, Superintendent Sawh played a key role by allegedly ensuring "safe passage" for Colombian and Venezuelan drug traffickers operating through Region One. Following the discovery, Sawh was removed from his post as Divisional Commander and reassigned to the Police Transport Workshop.
The report also alleges that Mark Cromwell, described as a violent trafficker and close associate of Daby Jr., is wanted by local police for the 2024 abduction of a former officer.
Meanwhile, Daby Jr. and Duncan are said to operate two of Guyana’s most expansive drug trafficking networks. Authorities claim the duo used maritime vessels and aircraft to move cocaine while allegedly bribing local officials to facilitate their operations.
President Irfaan Ali, speaking at a reception marking Guyana-China relations, confirmed he had already raised the matter with the U.S. Ambassador.
“I have already spoken to the Ambassador, requesting all the information to be made available so that we can proceed with action," President Ali told News Source Guyana.
Guyana has long been considered a critical transshipment point for cocaine destined for the United States, Europe, and the wider Caribbean. Numerous drug seizures abroad have been traced to vessels originating from or passing through Georgetown.
In a statement released late Thursday, the U.S. State Department emphasized that the sanctions demonstrate America’s strong commitment to fighting drug trafficking and protecting its citizens.
The announcement also credited a coordinated investigation led by multiple U.S. agencies, including the Diplomatic Security Service (DSS), the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
"In particular, DSS and DEA supported Guyanese authorities in the August 2024 discovery of 4.4 tons of cocaine buried deep underground in a clandestine airfield in the northwest region of Guyana that shares a border with Venezuela,” the statement noted.
Under the sanctions, all assets belonging to the designated individuals within U.S. jurisdiction are now frozen and must be reported to OFAC. Any breaches of these sanctions could result in civil or criminal penalties for both U.S. and foreign nationals.
