Police, GDF beef up security at Five Star Backdam as reports of Venezuelan gang invasion surface

Dec 11, 2022 News

Kaieteur News – Members of the Joint Service (Guyana Defence Force and the Guyana Police Force) have intensified security efforts at the Five Star Backdam, North West District (NWD), Region One area following reports of a Venezuelan gang invasion.

Five Star Backdam is a mining community located close to the Guyana Venezuela Border and the community of Imataka in Venezuela.

Reports are that Miners and other business persons working in the community are being forced to leave after a marauding Venezuelan gang invaded the area on November 30, 2022.

Miners and business persons alike have called on the law enforcement authorities to intervene and protect them from the heavily armed gang of more than 30 persons.

Region One’s Police Commander, Himnauth Sawh, told Kaieteur News on Saturday that Joint Service ranks have been dispatched to the area to verify reports.

Sawh said the ranks are in the area and have since been informed of the Venezuelan gang but they have not been able to verify the presence of the gang in the area.

Map of the Five Star Backdam

Notwithstanding, persons residing in the community have informed Kaieteur News that the gang members are using excessive force and have even shot at residents and business persons to get them to hand over their businesses.

“We have scanned the area and searched for spent shells but we have not found any and no one on the ground could confirm if indeed a shootout or robberies had taken place,” Sawh told Kaieteur News.

Despite being unable to confirm the presence of armed Venezuelan gangs, the Police Commander said heightened security will remain in the area to monitor. Collaborations will also be done with the Force’s Venezuelan counterparts to ensure there is no invasion.

Recently, the Venezuelan Government had deployed troops to mining regions of Tumeremo and Imataka- areas close to the Five Star Backdam to flush illegal armed gangs.

Commander Sawh said the Force is aware of the Venezuelan Army’s operations and is cognizant that gang members can flee.

“That is why we will continue to maintain a strong presence there and monitor the area”, Sawh told Kaieteur News while assuring that Guyanese will be protected.

Meanwhile, reports of the alleged invasion reportedly started at Lena landing – a part of Five Star Backdam that is located very close to the Venezuela border.

Reports are that the gang members said they cannot return to Venezuela and are going to ‘fight their way out’ if anyone tries to stop them from a takeover of the Guyanese mines.

In 2017, three Guyanese were slaughtered at Imataka. Gunmen brandishing high-powered weapons had stormed into their mining camp around 03:00 hrs on Wednesday July 19, 2017 and riddled them with bullets.

Police identified the dead as Vernon Eudoxie, 51, Cologne Solomon, 23 both of Fitzburg, Port Kaituma and Samuel Moses, 19, of Four Miles Oronoque, Port Kaituma, North West District, Region One. Venezuelan authorities suspected that killings were carried out by the Sindicatos, a Venezuelan gang, that would cross over into Guyanese mines and rob victims frequently.