The United States has imposed sanctions on six individuals, including four Guyanese nationals and two Colombian nationals, for their roles in trafficking large quantities of cocaine from South America to the US, Europe, and the Caribbean. The action demonstrates the country’s strong commitment to combating illicit drug trafficking and protecting its citizens.
The US Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) worked closely with the US Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), Homeland Security Investigations, US Customs and Border Protection, and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to bring this case to fruition. The investigation was supported by specialized training provided by the US Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs under the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative.
In August 2024, Guyanese authorities discovered 4.4 tons of cocaine buried deep underground in a clandestine airfield in the northwest region of Guyana, which shares a border with Venezuela. The successful operation involved several of Guyana’s specialized counternarcotics units, who received training from the US Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs.
The sanctions were imposed pursuant to Executive Order 14059, which targets the proliferation of illicit drugs and their means of production. The action is part of the US government’s ongoing efforts to disrupt transnational organized crime networks and protect its citizens from the harmful effects of drug trafficking.