Security forces probe illegal road to Venezuela -presence of foreign ‘Sindicato’ gangs in hinterland

Jan 26, 2018 News

Government has confirmed that it is investigating the extent of organized crime from neighbouring countries in the country’s hinterland area.
This was after a reported beheading of a man, said to be Guyanese, in Venezuela.
Recently there have been complaints of Brazilians and Venezuelans entering Guyana, robbing them and even demanding money from persons traversing some waterways.
Yesterday, during a press conference, Minister of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman, disclosed that the matter of organised gangs is actively engaging the National Security Committee, which comprises high level government and security officials.
In fact, Trotman disclosed, the committee recently received a complaint of a road being constructed, leading to the Venezuela border.
Together with the Ministry of Public Infrastructure and the army, a number of measures were taken to investigate this new “artery”, Trotman said.
There are concerns by the Government, especially with the current situation in Venezuela, the minister said.
That neighbouring country is facing severe internal turmoil with shortages of basic items and protests over an economic crisis.
Thousands of Guyanese are living there, with scores of them already returning home.
At the border level with Venezuela, although there are security forces stationed on both sides, there has been cooperation, with trade in fuel and food ongoing for years.
However, there have been reports of Venezuelans crossing over to Guyana, some of them to do mining.
Just recently, a shocking video surfaced of a man being beheaded by Venezuelans for allegedly stealing.
It is a known fact that Guyanese have been venturing to remote areas in Venezuela and allowed to mine. They are required to pay a fee to ‘Sindicatos’, or gangs that control the area. Reportedly, a strict code has to be followed with reports indicating that gunmen crossed from Venezuela recently to kill a Guyanese businessman who had angered them.
Minister within the Ministry of Natural Resources, Simona Broomes, who was present at the press conference yesterday, however, noted that there have not been any major reports of the gangs or organised crime in the Cuyuni/Mazaruni area, Region Seven, a gold-rich area.
Broomes would know. She has been involved in mining and has extensively travelled the areas.
However, spokesperson for the Amerindian Peoples Association, Laura George, recently insisted on her Facebook page this week that there are recurring reports of something happening in Region Seven.
She wrote: “Only last week the leadership of Arau informed that boats were not even allowed to pass through the Wenamu confluence with Cuyuni. People have gotten frustrated with the lack of intervention by the Govt and have stopped reporting too. Venezuelan nationals continue to enter our borders right around there…”
But there have also been reports of robberies of mining camps.
Earlier this week, police engaged a gang of Brazilians and even came under fire while investigating a robbery in Lethem.
A Brazilian who escaped from a jail in that Portuguese-speaking country was captured this week in Lethem, Region 9, police said yesterday.
With a bridge at the Takutu River, linking Guyana and Brazil, persons from that neighbouring country has been crossing here with locals freely driving there too.

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