The US Department of Treasury Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has issued sanctions against the several Guyanese and Colombians who it deemed to be using Guyana as a transshipment point for the movement of drugs from South America to the United States and Europe.
The US body listed Himnauth Sawh, a Senior Superintendent of the Guyana Police Force along with Mark Cromwell of Lot 40 Vigilance, East Coast Demerara; Paul Daby of 127 D’Aguiar Park, Georgetown, Guyana; and Randolph Duncan from Georgetown, Guyana.
The Colombian individuals sanctioned are Manuel Salazar Gutierrez and Yeison Andres Sanchez Vallejo.
In its statement, OFAC said drug traffickers continue to exploit the rivers and jungles of South America by transiting large quantities of cocaine, from Colombia and Venezuela, through the waters of Guyana and Suriname.
It said, “Guyana’s proximity to the Caribbean, as well as reported corruption along its ports and borders, allow maritime vessels, also known as narco-submarines, to transit through its waters undetected.
“Traffickers utilize these vessels to smuggle cocaine from the ports of Guyana and Suriname, across the Atlantic, to the United States, Europe, and the Caribbean.”
It was further noted that traffickerscoordinate the importation of cocaine loads from Colombia and Venezuela to Guyana via small aircraft, utilizing illegal airstrips in Guyana as landing spots. OFAC said cocaine has been discovered buried in underground bunkers located on airstrips and in jungle territory, with Guyana’s Barima-Waini region as a prominent location. Cocaine is then flown, via aircraft, to the United States, Europe, and the Caribbean.
Guyana Standard understands that the persons listed are not allowed to travel to the US or conduct business with American companies, otherwise, those entities will also be at risk of facing penalties.
