Earlier in the week, the Guyana Defence Force (GDF), in collaboration with the Guyana Police Force (GPF) and the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC), unearthed a massive illegal mining operation in the New River Basin, South Rupununi, Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo).
According to the GDF, the team located the camp and discovered three tunnels, one of which was abandoned, while the others were deemed active. The team also discovered several pieces of equipment, including a satellite dish. No one was at the camp at that time.
The GDF noted that owing to the location’s remoteness, seizure of the equipment was not feasible, so it was subsequently destroyed.
Investigators believe that the persons who were conducting the mining operations may have been utilising an illegal airstrip in Brazil, located some two miles south of the Guyana-Brazil border.
The New River Basin is designated as a Rare Earth Mineral Reserve, and as such, mining is strictly prohibited in the area.
Recently, the Iwokrama International Centre disclosed that it would be mulling the use of cameras and drones to manage the protected rainforest as illegal activities increase within the area.
