US resident found guilty of attempting to export gold without licence

…$7.3M in gold forfeited for SOCU

A United States resident and businessman who was intercepted on November 18, 2019 while attempting to export $7.3 million in raw gold via the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA), Timehri, without an export licence was on Tuesday found guilty of the offence.
Vibert Marks, who appeared before Magistrate Faith McGusty at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court, was also found guilty of a charge of attempting to bribe a Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) agent.

Vibert Marks being escorted by a Police Officer

The 44-year-old man of Independence Street, La Grange, West Bank Demerara (WBD), had initially denied the charges, including the one which stated on November 18, 2019, at the CJIA, he offered a CANU agent $100,000 as a reward for declining to investigate him.
Marks had also denied the charge of being in possession without an export licence of raw gold weighing 974.13 grams which was valued at $7.3 million.
On Thursday, Magistrate McGusty fined Marks $75,000 for attempting to export gold without a licence and $50,000 for attempting to bribe the CANU rank. He was also given a non-custodial sentence of one-year imprisonment.
Police Prosecutor Neville Jeffers told the court that on November 18, Marks, who is a permanent resident of the US, was an outgoing passenger at the CJIA destined for the USA when he was intercepted with the large quantity of raw gold.
At the time, he attempted to bribe the CANU agent, but was unsuccessful and as such, he was arrested and subsequently charged.
Marks was represented by Attorney-at-Law Glenn Hanoman. The gold was also forfeited in favour of SOCU.