US announces Visa restrictions on families, personal, business associates of sanctioned persons

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Thursday announced a new visa restriction policy for family members and close personal and business associates of individuals sanctioned under Executive Order 14059.

In June four Guyanese nationals were sanctioned for drug trafficking. They are Senior Superintendent Himnauth Sawh, Paul Daby Jr, Mark Cromwell (a former policeman), and Randolph Duncan. The sanctions were announced on June 5 by the US Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC).
“We will use all necessary tools to deter and dismantle the flow of fentanyl and other deadly drugs from entering our country,” Rubio said in a statement.
In an official press release, the US State Department explained that the “the fentanyl crisis in the United States is unprecedented, with overdoses remaining the leading cause of death for Americans ages 18 to 44. More than 40 percent of Americans reportedly know someone who has died from an opioid overdose, and in 2024 the United States averaged over 220 overdose deaths daily.”
Rubio said this action expands upon existing tools, including sanctions pursuant to E.O. 14059 and visa ineligibilities pursuant to section 212(a)(2)(C) of the Immigration and Nationality Act for controlled substance traffickers.
“Imposing visa restrictions on drug traffickers, their family members, and close personal and business associates will not only prevent them from entering the United States, but it will serve as a deterrent for continued illicit activities,” he said.
“The US Department of State will use all necessary tools to deter and dismantle the flow of fentanyl and other illicit drugs from entering the United States and harming US citizens,” he added.
Sawh was serving as Police Commander of Region One (Barima-Waini), last September when some 4.4 tonnes of cocaine with a street value of over G$40.7 billion, were discovered hidden in several bunkers near an illegal airstrip at Matthew’s Ridge. Following the announcement of the sanctions earlier this month, Sawh was sent on administrative leave to facilitate an investigation. Sawh joined the Guyana Police Force (GPF) on June 3rd, 2008; his last posting is at the Force’s Projects Office.
The Treasury Department stated that Guyana’s proximity to the Caribbean, as well as alleged corruption along its ports and borders, allows aircraft and maritime vessels, also known as narco-submarines, to transit through its waters undetected.
It noted that drug traffickers exploit the rivers and jungles of South America by transporting large quantities of cocaine from Colombia and Venezuela through Guyana and Suriname.
According to the US officials, Guyana has been the focus of major US law enforcement operations in the last few years that were done in partnership with Guyanese authorities and resulted in several multi-ton seizures of cocaine.
Following the announcement of the sanctions by the US, the senior cop was sent on administrative leave.

Guyanese operators
According to the Treasury Department, Sawh “…has ensured safe passage to Colombian and Venezuelan traffickers through Region One.”
Moreover, it was noted that Daby Jr and Duncan “…operate the largest drug trafficking organisations in Guyana and rely on maritime vessels and aircraft to conceal and traffic cocaine, while also allegedly bribing Guyanese officials to facilitate their drug trafficking operations.”
The Treasury Department said Daby Jr traffics tonne quantities of cocaine, coordinating the shipment of loads from Colombia and Venezuela via aircraft, and utilising illegal airstrips in Guyana. He also relies, the statement added, on a network of individuals to conceal and transport cocaine in shipping containers from the ports of Guyana and Suriname.
It was further outlined that Daby Jr is also involved in transporting illegal gold from Guyana via maritime vessels.
Moreover, the Treasury Department revealed that Duncan traffics cocaine from Guyana to Africa and the Caribbean, with Europe and the United States as the ultimate destinations.
With regard to Cromwell, who is also a former Police Officer, he was described by the US officials as “a violent drug trafficker and associate of Daby Jr”.
Cromwell has been implicated in a number of criminal activities over the years including an alleged abduction of a former Guyanese Police Officer back in October 2024, and he was charged for assaulting a cop the previous year.
According to the Treasury Department, the two Colombian nationals sanctioned are responsible for overseeing the clandestine airstrips used to transport tonne-quantities of cocaine via aircraft from Colombia to Guyana.
“OFAC designated Daby Jr, Duncan, Cromwell, Sawh, Sanchez, and Salazar pursuant to EO 14059 for having engaged in, or attempted to engage in, activities or transactions that have materially contributed to, or pose a significant risk of materially contributing to, the international proliferation of illicit drugs or their means of production,” the statement detailed.
This is the second time in the past year that the OFAC has issued sanctions against Guyanese.

Sanctioned Mohameds
In 2024, the United States had also announced sanctions against Nazar Mohamed, his son Azruddin Mohamed, several of their associated companies, and 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.
In a Reuters article published on July 14, 2023, it was revealed that the family is under investigation by several US agencies, including the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the Department of Homeland Security.
Citing five sources with direct knowledge of the matter, Reuters has reported that the Mohameds are suspected of smuggling both Colombian cocaine and Venezuelan gold to international markets. Further, an intelligence report referenced in the investigation suggests that they may also be involved in laundering money for drug traffickers and criminal organizations, including sanctioned Russian nationals operating in the region.