Landing of helicopter at New River Triangle: Brazilian pilot found at illegal mining camp jailed, fined $5.5M

One of two Brazilian nationals who illegally landed their aircraft at a mining camp in the New River Triangle of South Rupununi, Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) has been jailed and fined $5.5 million after pleading guilty to a series of charges.

Alexander Felix Plan, 54, a pilot of Eccles, East Bank Demerara (EBD), and Luan Ricardo Braga Silva were initially charged in February with certain offences when they appeared before Magistrate Alan Wilson at the Lethem Magistrate’s Court.
Felix, a father of two, was charged with operating a civil aircraft without an airworthiness certificate, operating an aircraft without insurance, interfering with an aircraft, and illegally entering Guyana.
He had pleaded not guilty to these charges, but when he reappeared in court on Wednesday represented by Attorney-at-Law Kezia Williams, Felix changed his not-guilty plea to guilty.
For the offence of operating a civil aircraft without an airworthiness certificate, Felix was fined $1.5M and sentenced to 18 months’ imprisonment; and for operating an aircraft without insurance, he was fined $2.5 million with an alternative of 18 months’ imprisonment.
Felix arrived in Guyana by air, and disembarked the helicopter without the consent of an immigration officer, an offence for which he was fined $30,000 and sentenced to 12 months in prison. And for interfering with an aircraft, he was fined $1.5 million and sentenced to 18 months’ imprisonment. The sentences will run concurrently.
Silva was charged separately with entering Guyana illegally. This publication is unaware of the legal status of this matter.
At the pair’s first court appearance, the prosecutor had objected to them being granted bail by citing that they were foreign nationals and the nature of their offences was serious, as were the penalties attached to offences. These objections were upheld by the magistrate and they were remanded to prison.
According to reports, the men were arrested on February 19 after illegal mining sites were found at the New River Triangle, South Rupununi, Region Nine.
The Guyana Defence Force (GDF) reported that its ranks destroyed an illegal mining camp and seized a helicopter and several other items in the New River Triangle.
According to the report, the soldiers had gathered intelligence on the mining operation, launched a search of the New River Triangle, and arrested Felix and Silva. Upon seeing soldiers, several others fled the camp into the surrounding jungle.
The illegal mining camp was secured and cleared by members of the GDF. A shotgun, 10 cellular phones, a generator, mining equipment, passports, identification cards, and a bank card were recovered. A quantity of equipment was seized, and mining tunnels were destroyed.
The GDF had said that the operation was conducted over a period of four days, involved two officers and 27 of their ranks, and was supported by the Air Corps.