U.S. sanctions six traffickers using narco subs and aircraft to move cocaine from South America into the U.S. and Europe.

Six Traffickers Sanctioned for Operating Drug Routes Through Guyana

The Trump administration has announced sanctions against six alleged cocaine traffickers accused of transporting large quantities of drugs using semi-submersible vessels and aircraft. The announcement was made by the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control earlier this week.

According to the department, the sanctioned individuals include two Colombian nationals—Manuel Salazar Gutierrez and Yeison Andres Sanchez Vallejo—and four Guyanese nationals: Randolph Duncan, Himnauth Sawh, Mark Cromwell, and Paul Daby Jr. The group is accused of directing a wide-reaching trafficking operation that extended into the United States, Europe, and the Caribbean.

Deputy Secretary Michael Faulkender emphasized the administration's ongoing efforts to dismantle international drug networks. “Under President Donald Trump, this administration has achieved the most secure border in modern history,” he said. “The Treasury Department continues to bring our unique tools and authorities to the fight against cartels and their affiliates.”

The Treasury alleges that Daby Jr. and Duncan operate some of the largest drug trafficking organizations in Guyana, utilizing narco submarines and aircraft while bribing local government officials to ensure the flow of narcotics. Sawh, a serving police officer in Guyana, is accused of facilitating shipments for Venezuelan and Mexican traffickers, while Cromwell—a former officer—is wanted for allegedly abducting a fellow officer last year.

Colombian nationals Salazar and Sanchez are reportedly involved in overseeing clandestine airstrips used to smuggle cocaine from Colombia into Guyana, where it is further routed toward international markets.

As a result of the sanctions, all property and financial interests of these individuals within U.S. jurisdiction are now blocked. U.S. persons are prohibited from engaging in transactions with them and must report any related holdings to the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control.

Guyana's Strategic Role in Cocaine Smuggling

Officials warn that the use of homemade narco subs traveling through Guyana’s remote terrain is expanding, with corruption at border checkpoints enabling smuggling activity. While the Treasury describes Guyana as a U.S. partner in combating narcotics, it cites a recent 2025 State Department report noting that corruption continues to hinder progress.

Recent seizures underscore the magnitude of the threat. In March 2025, a vessel from Guyana carrying approximately 400 pounds of cocaine was intercepted near Trinidad and Tobago. Authorities reported that the packages bore a Toyota logo commonly associated with a major cartel. Last year, a joint operation between U.S. and Guyanese officials intercepted a self-propelled narco sub carrying over 5,000 pounds of cocaine off the Guyanese coast.

Deputy Secretary Faulkender reaffirmed the administration's commitment to ongoing enforcement. “Treasury will continue to expose the criminal networks that allow for drugs to be trafficked into the United States,” he said. “We will work closely with our law enforcement colleagues and the Government of Guyana to disrupt the cartels wherever they operate.”

The sanctions represent a broader effort by the Trump administration to apply economic pressure on transnational criminal organizations that exploit international vulnerabilities to traffic narcotics.