Ivan Anthony Scipio, a 52-year-old painter from D’Urban Street, Georgetown, was charged on Thursday with exporting gold without a licence in contravention of Section 8 of the Guyana Gold Board Act, Chapter 66:01.
In a statement yesterday, the police said that on 3rd July 2024, Detectives from the Criminal Investigation Department (Narcotics Branch), along with officers from the Guyana Revenue Authority, seized several pieces of gold jewellery and raw gold from Scipio, who is a US citizen, while he was attempting to leave Guyana on a flight for New York, USA.
This was after Scipio failed to make a customs declaration to Customs Officials, as well as produce the necessary licences to legally export gold.
The gold has a value of $6,787,569. The police said that according to investigations Scipio has allegedly been involved in illegal export for some time now since there is a link showing that he allegedly made several exports previously.
On the 25th July 2024, the accused appeared at the Diamond Magistrate’s Court before Magistrate Judy Latchman, where the charge was read to him and he pleaded not guilty.
Bail was granted in the sum of $800,000, with the condition that he report to the Special Organised Crime Unit on the last Friday of every month. The case was adjourned to the 19th August 2024.
Investigations by SOCU into possible money laundering are ongoing.
