Two suspected money launderers were arrested and millions of dollars in local and foreign currency seized following raids conducted by the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) early yesterday morning.
This is the first such operation that has been made public by the unit, which has been recently accused of operating outside of its mandate.
A press statement on the operation, which was issued by the Guyana Police Force, provided limited information.
The statement said SOCU ranks conducted operations in four locations as part of efforts to step up operations to address money laundering. The locations were not named.
According to the statement, during the operation a “significant sum” of foreign and local currency was found at two of the locations and seized pending further investigations into money laundering.
Stabroek News was told that the money amounted to over $10 million, with US dollars among the foreign currency found.
A man and a woman, the statement said, have been arrested and are in custody assisting with the investigations.
Stabroek News was told that the two persons detained are unrelated and are the owners of businesses.
Several attempts to contact SOCU Head Sydney James for additional information and clarifications were futile.
Stabroek News was told that the content of the press statement came from him and, therefore, all questions should be directed to him.
A source questioned the need for the information to be released, while noting that given the sensitive nature of the unit’s operations, preliminary information should not be distributed.
Based on what this newspaper was told, the SOCU ranks operated on their own and did not have any assistance from the regular complement of police ranks.
SOCU ranks are policemen specifically seconded to perform investigative duties in keeping with the mandate of the unit. It is unclear how many ranks took part in the operation or how many are attached to the unit.
SOCU has made several seizures since it began its operations in the latter half of 2014.
In October, 2014 the unit seized over $9 million, suspected to have been illicit gains from a Bulgarian, who was intercepted as he was entering Guyana at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA), Timehri, with US$45,630 and €740.
James had said then that information alerted SOCU to the man and a search of his suitcase revealed the money.
The man left Guyana the next day without the funds.
In April, 2015, Prospect businessman Rajesh Seegobin was charged with underreporting cash at the CJIA.
About a month earlier, he had allegedly knowingly made a false declaration, stating that he had in his possession £30,300 when he allegedly had £32,300. This is in excess of the US$10,000 threshold at which seizures can be made under amended anti-money laundering laws if there is no declaration to customs.
That matter is still before the court.
On January 19 this year, jewellery – gold and silver neckwear and a gold and silver wristband together valued at approximately $4 million ‒ was seized from Better Hope goldsmith Richard Ramjit as he was preparing to board a flight for the USA.
The jewellery is in possession of SOCU.
Ramjit has since filed a multi-million-dollar lawsuit.
A botched SOCU surveillance operation last December ended with the deaths of three persons including an army intelligence officer. SOCU officials have over the past few weeks hauled in a number of top officials of the PPP/C concerning the operations of NICIL, the government’s holding company.
