Relative to the three persons who were charged with attempting to smuggle over 240 ounces of gold at the CJIA, Crime Chief, Wendell Blanhum yesterday said that the jeweller who allegedly plated the gold with silver was detained and questioned by investigators.
Blanhum told Stabroek News last evening that a goldsmith was detained and questioned by investigators.
This newspaper understands that following the arrests at CJIA, the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) had written to the police requesting deeper investigations to uncover the identity of the jeweller who prepared the pieces and to probe travel patterns of other persons he produced work for.
“GRA wanted to know who the gold belonged to because it is a network of persons…,” a source said.
However, the source pointed out that many times when sensitive investigations commence, the perpetrators are tipped off, leading to futile attempts to catch others.
Yesterday, Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo said that investigators have told him that some of the jewellers would melt the gold into items such as biscuit cans and those are sprayed with paint and then crackers are placed in them.
He said that over the years, he understands, that persons have come up with many ingenious ways to smuggle the yellow metal out of this country
Last week, Ian Jacobis, 44, of Lot 749 Plantation Best, West Coast Demerara; Shameena Ahamad, 52, of Lot 38 Roraima Scheme, West Bank Demerara; and Ashiana Salamalay, 34, of Lot 38 Roraima Scheme, West Bank Demerara, were all charged with the offence of exporting gold without a licence in contravention of Section 8 of the Guyana Gold Board Act, Chapter 66:01, contrary to section 23 (a) of the said Guyana Gold Board Act, Chapter 66:01, police said.
The defendants appeared at the Diamond Magistrate’s Court before Principal Magistrate Judy Latchman, where the charge was read to them, and they all pleaded not guilty.
Bail was granted in the sum of $600,000 each, with the condition that Jacobis lodge his passport at the Diamond Magistrate’s Court and report to the clerk every first Friday of the month. Ahamad and Salamaly are to report to the clerk every Friday pending the outcome of the matter.
The two women are naturalised American citizens and had attempted to travel with their US passports while Jacobis holds a Guyana passport.
They are scheduled to return to court on June 18.
The charges had prompted the Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners Association (GGDMA) to call for a wider probe to unearth the mastermind(s), as the association does not believe the trio acted on their own.
“The Association looks forward to a full and thorough investigation that will bring not only those currently under arrest to justice, but one that will unmask the masterminds behind what seems to be a well-planned scheme. The association will be closely monitoring this case and expects that the government agencies will ensure that there is full public disclosure and accountability. The GGDMA calls for a full disclosure of all those involved and stands fully behind the government in exposing (the) criminals (involved),” the association said in a statement.
It also called on all miners to “sell their gold to the Guyana Gold Board or to Licensed Gold Dealers.”
“Miners are also reminded that they should ensure that proper documentation and a periodic statement of their transactions is received from the Licensed Gold Dealer. This statement should be with the gold dealer’s records presented to GGB. This verification is important since it will ensure that your gold is properly accounted for and that your taxes are being correctly paid to the Government,” the GGDMA added.
