An intelligence-led operation was conducted around 15:35 hrs yesterday during which Police ranks searched a dredge camp at Frenchman Backdam, Upper Demerara River, and found a shotgun.
The police said in a release that the camp belonged to a 57-year-old gold miner from Her-stelling, East Bank Deme-rara, and is being managed by a 57-year-old man from Crane Housing Scheme, West Coast Demerara.
During the exercise, ranks requested to conduct a search on a metal toolbox, which was in the camp. The manager of the camp produced the key and opened the box in the presence of the ranks. Inside was a 12-gauge semi-automatic shotgun, without a cartridge.
The manager was arrested and escorted to the Mackenzie Police Station where the firearm was photographed, marked, sealed and lodged. He was placed into Police custody pending further investigations.
Efforts are currently being made to locate the owner of the camp.
