Police are hunting for five bandits who robbed two women on Sunday while they were cleaning the Chowmein factory at Patentia, West Bank Demerara.

Police reported that at about 17:20 hours on Sunday, Chandroutie Deochand and her daughter were cleaning the factory when the men, armed with guns and a cutlass, confronted them and held them up.

The robbers took away $200,000 in cash, a sealing machine and a DVD player, and escaped.

They are suspected to have done so by boat via the Demerara River, Police said.

Meanwhile, in a separate incident, police are investigating an armed robbery that occurred at about 13:00 hours on Sunday at Oku, Bartica, during which Brazilian businessman Ivan Perreira, 41, was attacked and robbed by two men, one armed with a handgun and the other with a knife.

Police said Perreira was in his shop along with his wife when the two men entered and held them up, demanding cash.

Perreira hesitated and was shot twice in his left leg. The men took away a quantity of raw gold and $200,000 in cash and escaped.

Ivan Perreira was taken to the Bartica Hospital for medical treatment. His wife was assaulted during the incident and was also treated at the hospital.