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Guyanese businessman under investigation by Brazilian police for smuggling US$16.5M worth in gold through shell companies
Kaieteur News – The Brazilian Federal Police in Boa Vista, Roraima are investigating a Guyanese businessman for allegedly laundering some US$16.5M in smuggled gold through shell companies in Brazil.
According to the Brazilian Federal Police (Policia Federal), the investigation was launched on Friday last.
“On the morning of this Friday (7/7), the Federal Police launched Operation Vanglória, with the aim of investigating suspects using shell companies to move more than R$80 million (US$16.5M) that would originate from the purchase and sale of illegal gold,” the Federal Police announced on its official website.
“The investigations began after receiving information linking a Guyanese businessman, who would work in the mining industry in his home country (Guyana), to suspicious activities in Brazil,” the Brazilian authorities said.
(Policia Federal photo)
While the police did not reveal the businessman’s identity, it detailed that “on paper” the suspect owns a company that sells food items in Manaus, Brazil but when investigators arrived at the location, no such business exists.
Instead, there was only a vehicle shop at location with no ties to the suspect.
Investigators also found out that the Guyanese businessman is working along with a Brazilian partner to smuggle gold through other shell companies in the country. The two of them managed to launder some R$60M (Brazilian currency) worth of gold through another shell company registered as one trading in hospital supplies. Investigators checked out the address of that company too and found that no hospital supplies were being sold there.
“The operation seeks to clarify whether the amounts (of money) moved originate only from smuggling gold from Guyana or whether the businessman was illegally exploring mines in indigenous areas in the state of Roraima (Brazil),” Brazilian police said.
The Policia Federal has since obtained three search and seizure warrants issued by the 4th Federal Criminal Court of the Federal Court in Roraima.
Investigations are ongoing.
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