Son of Former Guinea-Bissau President Sentenced in US for Drug Trafficking to Finance Coup Attempt

Malam Bacai Sanha Jr, the son of Guinea-Bissau’s former president, has been sentenced to more than six years in prison by a US court for his leadership role in an international heroin trafficking syndicate.

Authorities assert that Sanha Jr intended to utilize the profits from drug trafficking to finance his aspirations of orchestrating a coup and ascending to the presidency of Guinea-Bissau.

The 52-year-old, whose father led Guinea-Bissau from 2009 until his demise in 2012, has been associated with a failed coup attempt in February 2022.

Following his arrest in Tanzania, Sanha Jr was extradited to the United States in August 2022, where his trial commenced shortly after. Last September, he pleaded guilty to charges of conspiring to illegally import drugs.

FBI agent Douglas Williams emphasized the extraordinary nature of Sanha Jr’s criminal activities, given his familial ties to the former head of state.

Williams stated, “Malam Bacai Sanha Jr wasn’t any ordinary international drug trafficker. He is the son of the former president of Guinea-Bissau and was trafficking drugs for a very specific reason – to fund a coup that would eventually lead him to the presidency of his native country where he planned to establish a drug regime.”

Sanha Jr, also known as “Bacaizinho,” has been implicated in the importation of heroin from various countries to Portugal, as well as from Europe to the United States.

US authorities have indicated that upon completion of his prison term, Sanha Jr could face deportation as he is not a US citizen.

Reports suggest that Sanha Jr confessed to his involvement in the thwarted 2022 coup attempt aimed at toppling President Umaro Sissoco Embaló.

This attempt resulted in the deaths of 11 individuals, primarily security personnel. Sanha Jr purportedly disclosed to undercover agents of the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) that he utilized proceeds from drug trafficking to finance the coup plotters.

Guinea-Bissau has long been recognized as a hub for drug trafficking, particularly for cocaine bound for Europe from Latin America.

The country’s association with drug networks led to its designation as a “narco-state” by the US and the UN over a decade ago.

Analysts highlight the significant influence wielded by drug traffickers and networks within Guinea-Bissau’s government, often financing political campaigns to ensure protection for their illicit activities.