Senior cop among Guyanese sanctioned by US for drug trafficking

Former Commander of Region One (Barima-Waini) Senior Superintendent Himnauth Sawh is among four Guyanese nationals who have been sanctioned by the United States for drug trafficking.

The others are Paul Daby Jr of 127 D’Aguiar Park, Georgetown, Guyana; former policeman Mark Cromwell (a former policeman); Lot 40 Vigilance, East Coast Demerara and Lot 10 Buxton, East Coast Demerara and Randolph Duncan. Duncan’s address is listed only as Georgetown, Guyana.

Meanwhile, the address of Sawh,  who remains a serving member of the Guyana Police Force (GPF), is listed as Cane Grove, Guyana.

In 2024, the US Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced sanctions against Nazar Mohamed, his son Azruddin Mohamed, several of their associated companies, and Guyanese government official Mae Thomas.

The sanctions were issued over their alleged roles in public corruption. According to an official OFAC statement, the sanctions stem from a large-scale tax evasion scheme related to gold exports. Between 2019 and 2023, Mohamed’s Enterprise is alleged to have omitted more than 10,000 kilograms of gold from import and export declarations—resulting in the evasion of over US$50 million in duty taxes owed to the Government of Guyana. Despite the allegations, the Mohameds have denied any wrongdoing.