The Biden years opened the floodgates. That’s not political hyperbole—it’s hard reality. Under his so-called “border policies,” America became a superhighway for drug cartels. Now, with President Trump back in office, the hammer is dropping—and not a moment too soon.
This week, the Treasury Department sanctioned six foreign nationals—two from Colombia and four from Guyana—for allegedly using narco submarines and aircraft to traffic massive quantities of cocaine into the United States and beyond. These aren’t small-time mules. These are top-tier traffickers, operating sophisticated smuggling rings with the kind of technology and coordination you’d expect from a military unit. Some of them are even tied to police corruption in their home countries. Let that sink in.
These sanctions are part of what former FBI Assistant Director Chris Swecker called a “dramatically different approach” to tackling international drug cartels. And he’s right. After years of watching cartels run wild under a weak and distracted Biden administration, the Trump White House is doing what must be done: treating these organizations like the terrorist enterprises they are.
Deputy Treasury Secretary Michael Faulkender said it best: “Under President Trump, this administration has achieved the most secure border in modern history.” That’s not a boast—it’s a measurable fact. And the decision to go after these cartel operatives with targeted financial sanctions shows the power and precision of this administration’s law enforcement strategy. The message is clear: If you traffic poison into our country, we will track you down and cut you off—no matter where you are.
Let’s break down who these criminals are. Manuel Salazar Gutierrez and Yeison Andres Sanchez Vallejo, both Colombian nationals, are accused of overseeing airstrips used to move cocaine from Colombia to Guyana—a key transit country. Meanwhile, Guyanese nationals Randolph Duncan and Paul Daby Jr. reportedly run one of the largest drug trafficking networks in the region, using semi-submersibles and bribing local officials to look the other way. Himnauth Sawh, a current police officer, is accused of helping Mexican and Venezuelan traffickers move their product. Mark Cromwell, a former cop, is wanted for abducting another officer in what appears to be cartel-style enforcement.
This is not just international crime—it’s a threat to national security. These people are flooding our communities with cocaine, fueling addiction, funding violence, and destabilizing entire regions. And they’re doing it with the help of corrupt law enforcement and weak governments. According to a 2025 State Department report, corruption in Guyana is still a “significant obstacle” to fighting drug trafficking. That’s diplomatic code for “they’re not serious about cleaning house.”
Now contrast that with the Trump administration’s seriousness. In just the last year, U.S. and Guyanese authorities have seized over 5,000 pounds of cocaine from a narco-sub off the coast and intercepted another 400-pound shipment in March. These aren’t random busts—they’re the result of reestablishing U.S. leadership and reasserting control over our hemisphere.
Let’s also not forget the symbolism. Cocaine packages discovered in these operations were stamped with the Toyota logo—a known tactic of the Sinaloa Cartel. That’s the same cartel responsible for flooding our streets with fentanyl, the same cartel that benefited from Biden’s open-border chaos. Now, they’re being dismantled piece by piece.
This is what America First foreign policy looks like. Target the sources. Cut off the money. Back our allies—but only the ones who pull their weight. No more hand-wringing. No more “root causes” word salads. Just action.
The border is still under pressure, and yes, the damage done by Biden’s incompetence isn’t going to vanish overnight. But with Trump back in the Oval Office, the cartels know the rules have changed. The White House isn’t sending thoughts and prayers—it’s sending sanctions, agents, and consequences.
And that’s exactly what the American people voted for: law, order, and a president who protects his country.
