Heavily armed gunmen rob Cuyuni mining camps

Jul 19, 2017 News

Up to press time, police ranks were in the hinterland location waiting on transportation to

Henry’s camp that was attacked.

get to Kartuni, Cuyuni River, Region Seven where it is alleged that at least six heavily armed gunmen are targeting mining camps and brutalizing the workers. This has been going on for the past five days.
Yesterday, Divisional Commander, Rabindranauth Budhram, confirmed that the report has been received and that ranks were on their way to Kartuni.
He said that there is no information as to how many camps were robbed by the bandits, who were reportedly speaking fluent Spanish and Portuguese.
There is information that the gunmen are carrying high powered guns and they reportedly took away weapons belonging to at least two onsite security guards. The men escaped with raw gold, firearm, phones and at least six tractors.
While workers have been attacked, there are no reports of fatalities. At each camp the men attack, they reportedly destroyed the communication system, making it difficult for ranks and even the owner for the camps to get information.
Sheriff Mining Company owned by Mohamed Sheriff Henry was attacked on Monday afternoon.
The gold miner told reporters the bandits escaped with his guard’s weapons and an undisclosed amount of gold after beating his workers.
Henry noted that he heard that bandits were in the area and made contact with the police at the Bartica Police Station on Friday. He said that he was informed that the ranks were already aware of the issue.
He added that on Friday, the police made contact with him and informed him that his camp had been attacked.
“I ask the police how they know and they said that one of my workers were heading to the camp when he saw what was happening and immediately went to the other camp where he called the police at the Landing,” Henry noted.
He said that he had been told that the bandits took a female cook and another woman who were at his camp hostage but when contacted, Budhram said that he had not received that information and will only divulge what had been reported to him.
“Like all the camps these men go to, they destroying the communication system so we don’t know what is happening and there is no mode of transportation to get in because they took all the tractors,” Henry said yesterday.
It is unclear when the ranks will be able to get to the backdam. This newspaper was told that they were waiting at the Guyana Gold Fields.
Reports are that the division is expecting the Guyana Defence Force to help them get in by helicopter.

Discover more from Kaieteur News

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

Latest News