In a significant law enforcement operation, Yeison Andres Sanchez Vallejo, a Colombian national sanctioned by the United States for alleged involvement in drug trafficking, was arrested in Guyana. The arrest occurred on November 4, 2025, during a routine security check at the Kurupukari police checkpoint. Vallejo was traveling on a bus bound for Lethem when authorities discovered he was carrying a passport marked with an “RLL” (Refused Leave to Land) immigration stamp. Further investigations confirmed his inclusion on the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctions list for narcotics-related activities. Vallejo is currently in police custody, assisting with ongoing investigations. This arrest is part of a broader crackdown on drug trafficking networks in the region. Notably, the OFAC sanctions also targeted other individuals, including a senior Guyanese police officer, Himnauth Sawh, who was implicated in a 2024 operation that uncovered 4.4 tonnes of cocaine near an illegal airstrip in Mabaruma. Sawh remains on leave pending further inquiries. The arrest underscores the collaborative efforts between international and local law enforcement agencies to combat transnational drug trafficking.