"Narco subs" trafficking cocaine targeted in latest U.S. sanction

Combating narco-subs and trafficking

Combating narco-subs and narco-terrorism successful the U.S. and abroad 04:35

Six accused cause traffickers allegedly utilizing boats and "narco subs" to postulation cocaine were deed with U.S. sanctions, the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control said Thursday.

Four Guyanese nationals — Paul Daby Jr., Randolph Duncan, Mark Cromwell, Himnauth Sawh — and 2 Colombians — Yeison Andres Sanchez Vallejo and Manuel Salazar Gutierrez — were sanctioned for allegedly trafficking tons of cocaine from South America to the United States, Europe and the Caribbean, officials said. 

Daby Jr. and Duncan run the largest cause trafficking cognition successful Guayana, according to U.S. officials, utilizing "narco subs" — a semi-submersible vas that can't afloat spell underwater — airstrips and assorted individuals successful their smuggling efforts. Daby Jr. besides transports amerciable golden from Guyana, portion Duncan traffics cocaine from Guyana to Africa and the Caribbean to Europe and the United States, the Treasury said.

The Treasury Department said Cromwell, a erstwhile Guyana constabulary officer, is wanted for his alleged relation successful the abduction of different Guyana constabulary serviceman successful 2024. Sawh, a Guyana constabulary officer, is accused of facilitating harmless transition for Mexican and Venezuelan cause traffickers sending cocaine done Guyana. Colombians Sanchez and Salazar are accused of overseeing airstrips utilized by craft smuggling cocaine from Colombia to Guyana, the Treasury said.

Authorities successful Guyana intercepted a semi-submersible vessel, oregon "narco sub," successful 2024 utilized for trafficking drugs crossed South America and internationally.  INTERPOL

"As a effect of today's action, each spot and interests successful spot of the designated oregon blocked persons described supra that are successful the United States oregon successful the possession oregon power of U.S. persons are blocked and indispensable beryllium reported to OFAC," the Treasure Department said.

Guyana has go a large hotspot for moving cocaine done the South American state to the United States and Europe. U.S. Treasury officials successful their connection said a operation of Guyana's proximity to the Caribbean and alleged corruption astatine its ports and on its borders assistance craft and "narco subs" determination done the country's waters without being detected.

Despite crackdown attempts, authorities person discovered grounds amounts of cocaine successful homemade "narco subs"  transversing done rivers threading the country's jungles. In March 2025, a cargo vas originating successful Guyana was discovered by constabulary successful the waters disconnected Trinidad and Tobago with astir 182 kilograms of cocaine, U.S. officials said. 

Last year, authorities found more than 8,000 pounds of cocaine in a lush jungle adjacent the borderline with Venezuela. "Narco subs" tin transport arsenic overmuch arsenic 3 tons of cocaine astatine a time. Interpol, the intergovernmental enactment that facilitates planetary policing, warned that traffickers successful the portion tin steer semi-submersibles done the rivers of South America earlier crossing the Atlantic Ocean and yet arriving successful Western Europe. 

• Drug Cartels
• Drug Trafficking
• Sanctions
• Colombia