Yeison Andres Sanchez Vallejo, a Colombian national previously sanctioned by the U.S. Government for alleged drug trafficking, was arrested on Tuesday in Guyana, according to local law enforcement.
The Guyana Police Force reported that Sanchez Vallejo was apprehended at the Kurupukari Police Checkpoint in Essequibo during routine security screening procedures. During the screening, authorities discovered that he possessed a passport stamped with “RLL,” indicating “Refused Leave to Land.”
Upon confirming his identity as Yeison Andres Sanchez Vallejo, who is included in the U.S. sanctions list related to drug trafficking activities, he was placed under arrest. The police stated that he is currently assisting with ongoing investigations.
Sanchez Vallejo is alleged to be part of a significant drug trafficking ring that operates between Guyana, Venezuela, and Colombia. The U.S. sanctions list includes five individuals, among them four Guyanese nationals, with a senior officer from the Guyana Police Force named as part of the operation.
According to U.S. authorities, traffickers coordinate the importation of cocaine from Colombia and Venezuela to Guyana using small aircraft and illegal airstrips as landing sites. Cocaine has been found buried in underground bunkers located on these airstrips and in jungle areas, particularly in Guyana’s Barima-Waini region.
The U.S. Government has reported that the cocaine is subsequently flown from Guyana to destinations in the United States, Europe, and the Caribbean.
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