The son of Guinea-Bissau’s former president has received a six-year-plus prison sentence from a US court for orchestrating an international heroin trafficking operation.
Malam Bacai Sanha Jr, aged 52, aimed to finance his aspirations for Guinea-Bissau’s presidency through illicit drug proceeds, allegedly planning a coup.
Son of Malam Bacai Sanha, who governed from 2009 until 2012, Sanha Jr’s involvement in a failed 2022 coup led to his extradition to the US from Tanzania in August 2022. Having pleaded guilty to drug importation charges in September last year, he’s deemed more than a mere trafficker due to his political ambitions, according to FBI agent Douglas Williams.
Sanha Jr, also known as “Bacaizinho,” imported heroin to Portugal and the US from various countries.
Despite his government roles, including economic adviser, he’s implicated in the coup attempt targeting President Umaro Sissoco Embaló, allegedly financing it with drug proceeds.
Guinea-Bissau, labeled a “narco-state,” serves as a pivotal cocaine conduit from Latin America to Europe. The country’s political landscape often intertwines with powerful drug traffickers, shaping its governance and fostering a culture of illegal trade protection.
