Guyana’s Ministry of Natural Resources announced on Thursday that five non-citizens, a group that includes multiple Venezuelan nationals, have been taken into custody by the Guyana Police Force as part of the government’s sweeping ongoing campaign to eliminate unauthorized mineral extraction across the country. The detentions followed the successful discovery of an unlicensed mining operation operating within the country’s key Potaro mining district.
During the coordinated enforcement raid, officials seized multiple pieces of heavy and light mining equipment, alongside an undisclosed quantity of processed gold that was extracted illegally from the site. Photos released alongside the ministry’s announcement show law enforcement personnel and officers from the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC)’s Corps of Wardens examining the contraband seized during the operation.
Per the ministry’s official statement, the case is currently under active joint investigation by the GGMC’s enforcement division and the Guyana Police Force, with both agencies working to map out the full scope of the illegal operation and any additional actors connected to it.
In a strong reaffirmation of the government’s policy stance, the Ministry of Natural Resources emphasized that unauthorized mining activities will not be tolerated anywhere within Guyana’s borders. The administration reminded all active miners, industry stakeholders, and foreign actors seeking to operate in Guyana’s mining sector that all extractive operations must secure all legally required permits and approvals before commencing work, and must adhere strictly to both the country’s mining regulations and national environmental protection laws at all times.
The ministry confirmed that coordinated enforcement and surveillance operations will continue across all of Guyana’s mining districts, carried out by the GGMC in partnership with national law enforcement agencies. “Individuals found to be operating in violation of Guyana’s laws will face the full weight of legal consequences,” the statement read. Officials also explicitly noted that any non-national found to be involved in illegal mining activity will face deportation after legal process is completed, a policy that has already been applied to previous violators.