FOLLOWING recent revelations about rampant gold smuggling discovered by the new Administration since assuming office in May, Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan has promised that the investigations will be conducted on “individual levels”, once the files are sent to his Ministry. The Public Security Minister gave this assurance when grilled by media operatives on Government’s approach to the startling gold smuggling racket at a post-Cabinet press briefing last Friday.
“Locally, there are a number of things in relation to the Public Security Ministry, we will take the investigation to the individual levels once those files are sent to us,” Ramjattan said briefly.
Minister of Governance Raphael Trotman, who has responsibility for the Natural Resources sector, had reported earlier that the new Administration had found evidence of “rampant” gold smuggling, particularly to neighbouring countries Brazil and Suriname, and also to the United States.
“From what we are seeing gold is going over our borders with Brazil and Suriname and some amounts are going up to the U.S.,” said Trotman, according to media reports.
SMUGGLERS’ VISAS REVOKED
As a result of this, the United States Government has revoked the visas for some Guyanese businessmen who were said to be involved in gold smuggling. These businessmen were reported as using both the Cheddi Jagan and Ogle international airports to smuggle gold without making the required declarations.
Meanwhile, observers are of the view that the gold smuggling has played a huge part in lessening the country’s Gross Domestic Products (GDP). It was first felt that scores of miners had been affected by the price drop on the world market, and their production subsequently fell. However, the evidence now emerging indicates that the huge drop stems from an organised smuggling racket that involved ordinary business persons as well as licensed gold traders. The racket also points to collusion by key personnel at the country’s airports.
Investigations, according to reports, are being carried out by the Guyana Gold Board and the Ministry of Governance, the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) is part of an international probe into the smuggling of millions of US dollars worth of the precious metal as “scrap gold.”
Though it is alleged that customs officers from the Guyana Revenue Authority are involved in the scam, the agency has refuted this in a statement, saying that its officers play a limited role at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport with regard to the movement of passengers. (Shivanie Sugrim)