Tarique Deonarine, the proprietor of ‘T and J Transportation Services’ at Port Kaituma, Region # 1, and Windsor Castle, Essequibo Coast, was charged on Monday with purchasing gold from a person other than the board or agent authorized by the board and possession of gold by a person not being a producer or pursuant to the Guyana Gold Board.
The Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) said in a statement that Deonarine appeared at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court # 6 before Magistrate Delon Bess where the charges were read to him. He pleaded not guilty and was placed on $60,000 bail on each of the charges. The matters were adjourned to 2024-05-10 for further hearing.
According to the SOCU statement, information surfaced that Deonarine was in the habit of buying gold at Port Kaituma Water Front, North West District, Region # 1 without being the holder of the requisite licence. As a result, ranks of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) in collaboration with officials of the Ministry of Natural Resources conducted a sting operation and Deonarine was caught in the act.
The release further stated that Deonarine’s business place was searched and 20.8 pennyweights of gold, two smelting molds, one smelting pot, and $897,000 Guyana currency were found. The matter was later handed over to SOCU for further investigation.
