News Source Guyana Reports : Nine months after being sanctioned by the United States Government, Senior Superintendent of Police Himnauth Sawh remains on administrative leave from the Guyana Police Force as an investigation into his alleged involvement in an international drug ring continues, Minister of Home Affairs Oneidge Walrond has disclosed.
Sawh was among four Guyanese sanctioned by the US Treasury Department in June 2025 for alleged drug trafficking and reported links to Colombian drug traffickers. He was placed on administrative leave shortly after the sanctions were imposed to allow for a formal investigation into the allegations against him.
Speaking on the sidelines of an event on Tuesday, Minister Walrond confirmed that the investigation remains ongoing, though she acknowledged that her last formal briefing on the matter was months ago.
“As far as I am aware, he is still on administrative leave, and yes, those allegations are being investigated,” she said.
It remains unclear whether Sawh continues to receive a salary from the Guyana Police Force during his leave.
The minister defended the length of the investigation, noting the complexity of financial crime cases of this nature.
“Financial crimes of the kind that he has been accused of take a very long time, they are very meticulous and it has to be done very carefully. We have seen how even in other countries how long it takes before a charge is actually laid,” Minister Walrond said.
Drawing on her background as a former magistrate, she emphasised that thoroughness is essential to securing a successful prosecution.
“Having come from the bench, and as a magistrate, I understand how careful work has to be done for you to get an effective prosecution or to even be able to lay a charge,” she added.
Minister Walrond committed to providing the media with an update once she has been formally briefed on the current state of the investigation.
Sawh’s troubles predate the US sanctions. In September 2024, he was removed from his post as Regional Commander of Region One following a massive 4.4-tonne drug seizure by the Customs Anti-Narcotic Unit (CANU), the US Drug Enforcement Agency, and the Guyana Defence Force Special Forces. Though never charged in connection with that bust, he was reportedly questioned about the movement of drugs through the region. Several other police officers and villagers from the area were also questioned at the time.
