Government working with international partners to stop gold smuggling

Georgetown : The Government and law enforcement officials have their eyes on a number of persons at the local and international levels who are suspected to be involved in gold smuggling.
It was recently disclosed that a money laundering and gold smuggling ring operating out of Guyana may have smuggled UD$200 million worth of gold out of this country, evading the applicable taxes.
Minister of Governance, Raphael Trotman who also holds ministerial responsibility for the natural resources sector said, “There is gold smuggling going on in Guyana, we are aware of it. It is a problem (that is) being addressed.”
According to Trotman, a meeting is being convened on Thursday, September 10 with agencies and persons concerned to see how efforts can be better streamline.
Trotman said, while the Special Oganised Crime Unit is leading investigations into the recent occurrences of gold smuggling, the government is working with a number of foreign governments to have a better system in place and simultaneously, tightening on the measures that currently exist.
“Bringing something like smuggling to zero is not always possible but its government’s duty to bring it to a minimum,” Trotman said.
According to Trotman, it was as a result of actions undertaken by the government that led to the recent discovery and as such, efforts are ongoing to deepen and strengthen the mechanisms in place that have proven successful, while reviewing those that are not working.
“We cannot let the cat out of the bag and tell you exactly what we will do. There are some known persons and other players; local and international, who are on the radar. We are moving to take action,” Trotman explained.