The son of Guinea-Bissau’s former president has been sentenced to prison in the United States for trafficking drugs to finance a coup attempt.

The son of Guinea-Bissau’s former president has been sentenced to over six years in prison by a US court for orchestrating an international heroin trafficking network.

Malam Bacai Sanha Jr, aged 52, allegedly intended to utilize the proceeds from drug trafficking to finance his aspirations of seizing power in Guinea-Bissau through a coup, as per authorities.

He is the offspring of Malam Bacai Sanha, who served as the leader of the West African nation from 2009 until his demise in 2012.

Sanha Jr has been implicated in a failed coup attempt in February 2022. Following his arrest in Tanzania a few weeks prior, he was extradited to the US in August 2022.

His trial commenced shortly thereafter, and in September of the previous year, he admitted guilt to charges of conspiring to unlawfully import drugs.

“Malam Bacai Sanha Jr wasn’t any ordinary international drug trafficker,” said FBI agent Douglas Williams on Tuesday.

“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.”

US authorities have indicated that Sanha Jr may face deportation following his imprisonment as he does not hold American citizenship.

The 52-year-old, commonly known as “Bacaizinho” in Guinea-Bissau, has occupied various positions within the government, including serving as his father’s economic adviser.

Reportedly, Sanha Jr confessed to his involvement in the thwarted 2022 coup attempt aimed at overthrowing President Umaro Sissoco Embaló, which resulted in the deaths of 11 individuals, primarily security personnel.

Sanha Jr purportedly admitted to US authorities that he personally participated in the coup plot and used proceeds from drug trafficking to finance the conspirators, according to reports from German state-owned broadcaster Deutsche Welle last year.