In a major crackdown on narcotics trafficking, the United States Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has sanctioned four Guyanese nationals – including two current or former police officers – and two Colombians for running a massive cocaine smuggling ring. The sanctions, announced on June 5, target individuals accused of using innovative methods like semi-submersible “narco-submarines” and clandestine airstrips to move tons of cocaine from South America to the U.S., Europe and the Caribbean. Among those designated are alleged kingpins Paul Daby Jr. and Randolph Duncan, who U.S. officials say operate Guyana’s largest drug trafficking operation, aided by corrupted law enforcement insiders.
According to OFAC, one sanctioned Guyanese is a former police officer wanted for involvement in the 2024 abduction of a fellow officer, while another – a serving police superintendent – is accused of accepting bribes to ensure safe passage of cocaine through Guyana. The network also reportedly collaborated with Mexican and Venezuelan cartels, using Guyana as a transshipment point, and maintained covert airstrips for drug-laden flights. The U.S. action freezes any assets the six individuals hold in U.S. jurisdictions and bars Americans from doing business with them. “Today’s action is a strong signal that this administration will continue to take the fight to the cartels, regardless of where they operate,” said a senior U.S. Treasury official, noting that Washington is deploying all tools to disrupt illicit drug pipelines.
Guyanese authorities have welcomed the move as a boost to ongoing bilateral cooperation against drug trafficking. The Guyana Police Force said it provided intelligence to U.S. counterparts as part of a joint effort that earlier intercepted a narco-submarine off Guyana’s coast. President Irfaan Ali, in a statement, reaffirmed that Guyana “will not tolerate narco-criminal networks” and highlighted the country’s work with international partners to strengthen surveillance and prosecutions. The U.S. Embassy in Georgetown commended Guyana’s partnership in combating narcotics, underscoring that “Guyana is a close partner… in combating narcotics trafficking” even as traffickers seek new routes. The sanctions come amid broader U.S.-Guyana collaboration on security, and officials from both nations signaled that further actions are likely as investigations continue.
Region: International
Sources: cbsnews.comcbsnews.com
