Senior Superintendent of police among six sanctioned by U.S. for drug trafficking

Jun 06, 2025 News

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…Officer Sawh sent on leave  

Kaieteur News – Senior Superintendent Himnauth Sawh has landed on the United States Department of the Treasury Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctions list, along with three other Guyanese and two Colombians for trafficking drugs to the United States through Guyana.

In a statement on Thursday, the OFAC updated its Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons (SDN) list, naming the thirty-seven-year-old senior officer of Cane Grove, as well as businessman Paul Daby Jr., 40, also known as “Daby Ramsuchit”, “Paul”, “Rondell” and “Randell” of Georgetown; Mark Cromwell, 43, known as “Demon” and “Diamond” of Lot 40 Vigilance, East Coast Demerara, and Lot 10 Buxton, ECD; and 50-year-old Randolph Duncan for drug trafficking.

 

Additionally, two Colombian nationals, Manuel Salazar Gutierrez, also known as “Manguera” and “Orejon” and Yeison Andres Sanchez Vallejo, also known as “Blacks” and “Andreas”, were listed as operating in drug trafficking through Guyana.

OFAC stated that for decades, Guyana has been a transhipment point for the movement of drugs from South America to the United States and Europe. “Drug traffickers 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 was stated. OFAC outlined that Guyana’s proximity to the Caribbean, as well as reported corruption along its ports and borders, allows maritime vessels, also known as narco-submarines, to transit through its waters undetected.

It was stated that traffickers utilise these vessels to smuggle cocaine from the ports of Guyana and Suriname, across the Atlantic, to the United States, Europe, and the Caribbean. OFAC said, too, that traffickers also coordinate the importation of cocaine loads from Colombia and Venezuela to Guyana via small aircraft, utilising illegal airstrips in Guyana as landing spots.

“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,” it was stated. Following a US$188 million drug bust on August 31st, this publication had reported that a senior police officer was allegedly connected with the cocaine bust at Matthew’s Ridge, Region One. A Joint Services team, led by the CANU, on Saturday unearthed approximately 4.4 tons (4,400 kilos) of suspected cocaine, which has a current street value of US$188 million, at a nearby illegal airstrip at Matthew’s Ridge. Neatly stashed, the cocaine was found buried in four hand-dug pits, each averaging five to six feet deep, and covered with tarpaulins, wood, and bushes.

Following allegations that a senior cop was involved in the drug bust, Senior Superintendent Sawh, who joined the GPF on June 3rd, 2008 and who was the Commander for Region One, was transferred from the region to the Guyana Police Force Projects Office, where he was on duty up to Thursday.

Following the OFAC announcement of the sanctions on the senior officer, the Minister of Home Affairs said, “Initial action is being finalised.” Hours later, the GPF confirmed that Senior Superintendent Sawh was sent on administrative leave. In a brief statement, it was said, “The Guyana Police Force has taken note of a Report today by the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control to sanction four Guyanese, one of whom is Senior Superintendent Himnauth Sawh.”

To this end, it was stated that in keeping with the Force’s Standard Operating Procedure, Senior Superintendent Sawh has been sent on administrative leave following his being sanctioned for drug trafficking by the United States. In relation to Cromwell, in 2024, the GPF had issued a wanted bulletin for him in relation to the abduction of ex-cop Delon Alexander, who was abducted on May 7, 2024, on Church of God Road, Buxton, ECD.

In a statement on Thursday night, the Ministry of Home Affairs said the government, through the Attorney General’s Office, will request details from OFAC via the Department of Justice, a Component of the United States government, to facilitate further investigations. The ministry said that the details will guide the actions of the Police Service Commission (PSC) and the government.

 

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• drug trafficking, Himnauth Sawh, Mark Cromwell, Paul Daby Jr., Randolph Duncan, US sanctioned

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