2 Guyanese arrested in Suriname with large quantity of mercury

Two Guyanese men were detained by Surinamese Police this week after a sizeable quantity of mercury was uncovered in their vehicle on Schietbaanweg, Paramaribo, authorities have confirmed.
According to information from the Suriname Police Corps, officers acting on detailed intelligence from the Counter-Terrorism and Intelligence Unit (CTIU) and the Suriname Inter-Agency Crime and Intelligence Division (SIGMA), with support from the Paramaribo Regional Assistance Team, stopped a black Lexus SUV during a targeted operation on Saturday evening.
During the stop, the occupants, identified only by initials B.E., 37, and S.P., 53, both of Guyanese nationality, were found in possession of 15 sealed containers later determined to contain mercury, a toxic substance strictly controlled due to its use in artisanal gold mining and its severe health and environmental hazards.
Following their arrest, both men were transferred to the Central Criminal Investigation Department (CCID) in Paramaribo, where they remain as investigations continue into the origin of the mercury and whether it was intended for illegal distribution or use.
Mercury is internationally recognised as a hazardous substance, and its transport, sale, and use are regulated in both Guyana and Suriname. In Suriname, the importation and trade of mercury are prohibited except under authorised circumstances, a measure designed to curb environmental contamination and protect public health. Its prevalence in cross-border smuggling is a known challenge for law enforcement in the region.
In Guyana, law enforcement officials along with mining wardens also regularly intercept illegal mercury as part of efforts to suppress its use in gold mining. In December 2025, the Customs Anti Narcotics Unit (CANU) intercepted a vehicle at Crabwood Creek, Corentyne, uncovering mercury with a reported street value of GY$18 million that was allegedly being smuggled from Suriname into Guyana. A suspect was taken into custody, and the substance was handed over to the Ministry of Natural Resources for proper disposal.
Additionally, in a coordinated transnational law enforcement effort in late 2025, Police and prosecutors from Brazil, French Guiana, Guyana, and Suriname took part in Operation Guyana Shield, resulting in nearly 200 arrests on charges linked to illegal gold mining, gold smuggling, and related offences. That operation saw the seizure of cash, unprocessed gold, and cylinders of mercury concealed within vehicles, underscoring the extent of the illicit trade across borders.