Tag: smuggling

Large quantity of gold, millions in cash seized in alleged smuggling attempt

Posted on by Kayleigh Carter

Officers from the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) intercepted an alleged gold smuggling attempt in Georgetown on Thursday, detaining four people and seizing gold and cash worth millions, police said.

Acting on credible intelligence, officers detained two Brazilian nationals, one Cuban national, and one Guyanese, according to a police statement.

“SOCU also seized a large quantity of gold valued at over 30 million Guyana dollars and more than 31 million Guyana dollars in cash, along with electronic equipment. This is a significant breakthrough in the fight against illicit gold smuggling. The four are currently assisting with investigations,” the statement said.

SOCU Head, Deputy Commissioner Fazil Karimbaksh, said officers disrupted the smuggling operation before the gold could be moved.

He warned smugglers to cease illegal activities or face prosecution, underscoring the government’s commitment to tackling transnational crimes and protecting the country’s resources.

Thursday’s operation follows a similar enforcement action on 5 March in Lethem, Region Nine, where two people were arrested.

The Government of Guyana remains resolute in its efforts to combat illicit gold smuggling and dismantle criminal networks, the statement added.

Authorities continue to monitor and enforce strict measures to hold offenders accountable and prevent further economic losses. Investigations are ongoing.

Jagdeo: Greater enforcement actions needed against gold smuggling

Posted on by Kayleigh Carter

The government wants to see greater enforcement actions against gold smuggling in Guyana, said Vice President Dr Bharrat Jagdeo.

The Vice President made these remarks at his weekly press conference on Thursday.

This statement follows local authorities’ recent success in dismantling a gold smuggling ring involving Guyanese and Brazilians.

Jagdeo also highlighted that several intelligence operations are ongoing to curb such practices, with information indicating that these operations extend beyond the mining areas and include citizens from Georgetown as well.

“From what we have been hearing, it is a ring of people from Georgetown too. I can tell you that there are operations targeting individuals who are buying gold at a price significantly above the world market rate because they are evading their government’s royalty and smuggling it into Brazil,” he said.

He added that the government has received the names of several individuals involved and has launched investigations and intelligence operations to address the situation.

An operation led by the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) in Lethem, Region Nine, earlier this month resulted in the arrest of two Brazilian nationals and the seizure of $26 million and a large quantity of gold.

Nazar yet to report claims of gold smuggling, assassination to authorities

Posted on by Kayleigh Carter

Vice President Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo has once again called on sanctioned businessman Nazar “Shell” Mohamed to provide the authorities with any valuable information he has regarding gold smuggling activities.

 

Nazar Mohamed and his son, Azruddin Mohamed, were sanctioned by the US Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) for allegedly using their company, Mohamed’s Enterprise, to smuggle approximately 10,000 kilograms of gold out of Guyana between 2019 and 2023.

 

This illicit activity reportedly denied the Guyana government more than US$50 million in gold export taxes.

 

Additionally, the family’s other businesses—Hadi’s World and Team Mohamed’s Racing Team—were also sanctioned.

 

The Guyana government has warned of potential US sanctions for entities that continue doing business with the Mohameds and has advised citizens to take this into consideration.

 

More recently, the Maritime Administration Department (MARAD) denied cabotage permission for foreign companies operating on behalf of Mohamed’s businesses.

 

In a Facebook address, Nazar Mohamed described the government’s position against him, his son, and their businesses as unfair.

 

He also accused the Guyana government of ignoring the activities of another gold operator, whom he claims is involved in illegal dealings that threaten the country’s financial system.

 

According to Mohamed, this unnamed gold dealer has been purchasing gold from Venezuelan men in military uniform for the past four years, with billions of dollars’ worth of gold involved.

 

However, Vice President Jagdeo has stated that despite making these allegations, the Mohameds have not provided any evidence or formally reported the matter to the police or other relevant authorities.

 

“I said they should make this public—who this individual is. Everyone would be happy to know: the media, the police, the US government.

Everyone would be interested, particularly if sanctions against Venezuela are being breached,” Dr. Jagdeo said.

 

He further noted that the Mohameds have also failed to report claims of a possible assassination attempt against Azruddin Mohamed, despite the severity of such an allegation.

 

Dr. Jagdeo emphasised that while the Mohamed family continues to focus on these claims, they have not addressed the core issue—the US allegations of gold smuggling—which led to the sanctions and the business challenges they currently face.

Major illegal gold smuggling operations disrupted, over $26M seized

Posted on by Kayleigh Carter

In a major intelligence-led joint operation conducted on Wednesday in Lethem, Region Nine, officers of the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) successfully intercepted an illegal gold smuggling attempt.

Police say that, acting on credible intelligence, SOCU officers detained two Brazilian nationals and seized a large quantity of gold and over G$26 million in cash.

Arrested are Albina Filho Alves Vieira, a male of Brazilian nationality, a salesman, aged 42 years, of 55 Boa Vista, Brazil, and Erizangela Regia De Olivera, a female of Brazilian nationality, aged 39 years, a clothes vendor of Lot 3 Boa Vista, Brazil.

The two are currently assisting with investigations.

According to Head of SOCU, Deputy Commissioner Fazil Karimbaksh, SOCU officers were able to disrupt the smuggling operation before the gold could be moved across the border, underscoring the government’s unwavering commitment to tackling transnational crimes and protecting the nation’s valuable resources.

The operation also serves as a warning to individuals and groups engaged in such illicit activities that law enforcement agencies remain vigilant and proactive in their enforcement efforts.

This latest crackdown follows a similar enforcement action in July last year at the Ramada Princess Hotel when officials responded to intelligence on illegal gold smuggling, resulting in the arrest of three Chinese nationals.

In that incident, two searches resulted in the discovery of over $50 million (Guyana dollars) in cash, money-counting machines, and an illegal firearm.

The Government of Guyana remains resolute in its mission to combat illicit gold smuggling and dismantle networks involved in these illegal activities. Officials continue to monitor and enforce strict measures to hold offenders accountable and prevent further economic losses to the country.

Investigations are continuing with a view to prosecution.