US Treasury sanctions India-based couple for maritime fraud against Guyana
MARAD backs US sanctions on Suniel Kumar Sharma and wife Jaspreet Preeti Shahid for running a fake Guyana ship registry network.
Guyana backs US sanctions on alleged maritime fraud operators
The Maritime Administration Department (MARAD) has welcomed sanctions imposed by the United States Department of the Treasury against two India-based individuals accused of orchestrating a maritime fraud scheme targeting Guyana and other countries, newsroom.gy reports.
The individuals named are Suniel Kumar Sharma and his wife, Jaspreet Preeti Shahid. According to MARAD, they managed a network that falsely represented vessels as being registered in Guyana through a fraudulent entity called the International Maritime Safety Agency of Guyana (IMSAG), enabling the unauthorised use of the Guyana flag on vessels operating internationally.
MARAD stated that such activities undermine the integrity of national ship registries and compromise maritime security more broadly.
The Government of Guyana described its position as firm, noting that the fraudulent use of its national flag has been raised consistently at international and regional maritime forums. In July 2026, Minister of Public Utilities and Aviation Deodat Indar presented a case study on the matter — titled Fraudulent Registration: Guyana's Perspective — at the Global Maritime Security and Sanctions Enforcement Symposium hosted in Antigua and Barbuda. The issue was raised again at the 56th Annual General Meeting of the Caribbean Shipping Association, which Guyana hosted.
MARAD and the Ministry of Public Utilities and Aviation stated they fully support the Treasury's actions against Sharma, Shahid, and their associated entities.
Guyana reaffirmed its commitment to working with international partners, maritime administrations, and enforcement agencies to protect its ship registry from exploitation and to prevent its flag from being used to circumvent international sanctions or facilitate criminal activity.
Source: Google News GY — Crime