“Detailed and Time-Consuming”: No Charges Filed Two Years After Massive 4.4-Tonne Cocaine Bust
By: Travis Chase | HGP Nightly News|
REGION ONE, GUYANA — Nearly two years have passed since a historic joint operation between the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and Guyana’s Customs Anti-Narcotic Unit (CANU) uncovered a record-breaking 4.4 tonnes of cocaine buried near an illegal airstrip in Matthew’s Ridge, Region One. Yet, despite the scale of the September 1, 2024, seizure—valued at over €176 million—the Guyanese judicial system has yet to see a single local criminal charge filed in connection with the discovery.
The investigation continues to loom over the Guyana Police Force (GPF), as questions persist regarding high-level complicity and the slow pace of domestic prosecution.
Senior Superintendent Still Under Probe
At the heart of the controversy is Senior Superintendent of Police Himnauth Sawh, the former Regional Commander of Barima-Waini (Region One). Sawh was removed from his command shortly after the bust and has remained on administrative leave for nearly a year.
- U.S. Sanctions: In June 2025, the U.S. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) officially sanctioned Sawh, accusing him of facilitating “safe passage” for Mexican and Venezuelan drug traffickers.
- The Allegations: International authorities allege that Sawh used his position to protect the transshipment of narcotics through Guyana’s porous borders toward the U.S. and Europe.
- Current Status: Speaking on the sidelines of an event on Tuesday, Minister of Home Affairs Oneidge Walrond confirmed that Sawh remains off active duty.
“Detailed and Time-Consuming” Work
Minister Walrond addressed the public’s growing frustration over the lack of local charges, explaining that the nature of the crime dictates the pace of the investigation.
- Complexity: The Minister noted that “complex financial and transnational crimes” require an extraordinary amount of evidence-gathering to ensure any eventual prosecution is “properly grounded.”
- Seeking an Update: While acknowledging her last briefing on the matter was several months ago, Walrond indicated she intends to seek a fresh status report on the probe.
“Complex financial and transnational crimes of this nature require detailed and time-consuming investigative work… we must ensure any potential prosecution is properly grounded.” — Minister Oneidge Walrond
The Shadow of International Sanctions
While Guyana has yet to file charges, the U.S. government has moved aggressively. Alongside Sawh, several high-profile Guyanese nationals—including Paul Daby Jr. and Randolph Duncan—were sanctioned in 2025 for their alleged roles in the same trafficking network, which utilized “narco-submarines” and hidden jungle bunkers.
The disparity between the decisive actions taken by the U.S. Treasury and the ongoing “administrative leave” status of local officials has led to intense scrutiny of Guyana’s institutional readiness to dismantle entrenched drug networks.
The Matthew’s Ridge Bust Timeline
| Date | Event |
| Sept 1, 2024 | 4.4 tonnes of cocaine seized by CANU/DEA in Region One. |
| June 5, 2025 | U.S. Treasury sanctions Senior Supt. Himnauth Sawh for drug trafficking. |
| June 6, 2025 | Sawh placed on administrative leave by the Police Service Commission. |
| March 31, 2026 | Minister Walrond confirms Supt. Sawh is still under investigation; no charges filed. |
A Question of Accountability
As the 4.4 tonnes of cocaine—the majority of which was destroyed shortly after the bust—remains a fading memory, the lack of local legal closure remains a “long shadow” over the GPF. For many, the case has become a litmus test for the government’s commitment to rooting out corruption within the joint services. Until the “detailed investigative work” results in a courtroom appearance, the Matthew’s Ridge seizure remains a historic success with an unfinished ending.
