GEORGETOWN – A Colombian national wanted under United States sanctions for drug trafficking has been detained by local law enforcement at the Kurupukari Police Checkpoint, the Guyana Police Force confirmed Tuesday evening.
According to the police, the man was travelling aboard a Lethem-bound minibus when officers, conducting routine security checks, intercepted the vehicle as part of ongoing national border surveillance efforts.
During the inspection, ranks discovered that one of the passengers, a 33-year-old Colombian national, was carrying a passport stamped “RLL” (Refused Leave to Land), indicating that he had previously been denied entry into Guyana.
Subsequent verification revealed the passenger’s identity as Yeison Andres Sanchez Vallejo, a man reportedly listed by U.S. authorities among individuals sanctioned for alleged involvement in transnational drug trafficking operations.
Police said Vallejo was immediately arrested and is currently in custody as investigations continue. Authorities have not yet indicated whether the U.S. government has been formally notified or whether extradition proceedings may follow.
The detention comes amid heightened scrutiny of regional borders and international cooperation in the fight against narcotics trafficking.
Security sources described the arrest as a significant development in Guyana’s ongoing efforts to prevent the country from being used as a transit point for illicit activities linked to organized crime networks.
