Last Updated on Monday, 5 January 2026, 22:14 by Writer
Two days after a joint operation in Georgetown netted an undisclosed quantity of gold and undocumented persons, the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) on Monday suspended the operations of 107 Brazilian gold miners.
“Such suspension takes effect immediately and shall remain in force pending the affected persons’ engagement with, and compliance to the satisfaction of, the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission,” the GGMC said in a statement.
That regulatory body said the decision followed a public notice issued on January 2 requiring named persons to go to the GGMC.
The Commission said the immediate suspension includes permissions to operate and any related authorisations.
The GGMC said that notice was issued without prejudice to any further regulatory or enforcement action which the Commission might lawfully pursue. The overwhelming majority of addresses for those persons are in Georgetown, while there is a few from Bartica.
The Ministry of Natural Resources declined to say how much gold was seized during the joint operations in central Georgetown by the GGMC, the ministry’s Compliance Unit, and the Guyana Police Force (GPF).
“This initiative is a part of our ongoing efforts to combat illegal mining and the trading of precious metals in our country,” the ministry said.
“During these operations, several undocumented individuals were processed, gold was seized, and the verification of persons of interest was successfully completed.”
The Guyana government says it maintains a strict zero-tolerance policy towards illegal mining activities, and is committed to safeguarding the country’s natural resources and ensuring compliance with all regulations governing the mining sector.
The government warned that similar operations will be conducted across the country to ensure compliance with applicable laws and regulations.
The natural resources ministry says it will continue to work diligently to protect the country’s environment and uphold the rule of law in all mining operations. “The cooperation displayed by our various agencies exemplifies our dedication to this cause, and we urge the public to report any suspicious activities related to illegal mining and trading,” the ministry said.
Similar operations to crack down on illegal gold mining operations and under-declaration of the precious yellow metal have been conducted in interior mining districts.
Some days ago President Irfaan Ali warned that gold miners caught under-declaring gold instead of selling all of it to the Guyana Gold Board could see their dredges being de-registered, and that foreigners, mainly Brazilians, could be prosecuted and expelled from Guyana for similar malpractices.
President Ali last June publicly stated that Guyana had promised the United States to partner in uprooting the flow of smuggled gold that could help to empower or safeguard undemocratic forces.
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