Latest update November 15th, 2024 1:00 AM
Another Chinese woman allegedly involved in a gold smuggling ring charged for overstaying time in Guyana
Kaieteur News – Another Chinese woman, 34-year-old Zhong Jin Ziang, suspected of being involved in a gold smuggling ring was on Thursday charged for over-staying her time in Guyana.
Charged for overstaying her time in Guyana, Zhong Jin Ziang
Police said that she is employed as a customer representative at Muneshwers Travel Service and was arrested on July 15 during the course of an investigation into a major money laundering and gold smuggling operation in the country.
Ziang appeared at the Grove/Diamond Magistrates’ Court before Magistrate Judy Latchman and pleaded not guilty to the offence. She was placed on $60,000 bail and the case was transferred to the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court where she is scheduled to appear on August 14, 2024.
Police said she was arrested following an ongoing investigation by the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) into money laundering and gold smuggling operations within and out of Guyana, allegedly by Chinese Nationals.
“During the course of the investigation, it was revealed that Zhong Jin Ziang entered Guyana from Suriname on 7th September 2023, and on her arrival at the Eugene F. Correia International Airport Ogle, she was issued a visitor’s visa and granted one month stay in the country,” police said .
The woman, however, started working at Muneshwer’s Travel Service and overstayed her time in Guyana.
Charged with the illegal possession of firearm and ammunition, Ying Xin Su
Zhong Jin Ziang is the second Chinese arrested after police managed to dismantle a transnational criminal network in Guyana reportedly involved in gold smuggling and other illegal activities.
The first woman, Ying Xin Su, a 30- a travel agent and also an employee Muneshwer’s Travel Service was arrested along with two Chinese men -one of them identified as Yang Su, her driver – on Tuesday, July 9 at a city hotel.
During the bust police confiscated some $39M in cash from them along with an unlicensed firearm with matching bullets. Ying Xin Su was later charged with the illegal possession of the firearm and the bullets while the two Chinese men remain under investigation.
A wanted bulletin was also issued by police for another Chinese man identified as, Zhenjian Fang of 47 New Road, Vreed-en-Hoop, West Coast Demerara (WCD). According to the bulletin, he is wanted for questioning in relation to money laundering and related serious offences in Guyana.
Meanwhile Vice-President Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo during his weekly press conference on Thursday revealed that a six-month-long undercover probe has brought down a Chinese- run gold smuggling gang. He said that the ring has been illegally shipping out Guyana’s gold via neighbouring Suriname.
The VP added too that the undercover operations have found that the Chinese nationals caught were operating out of hotels.
“Wanted bulletins have been issued for many of them” Jagdeo said while adding “We believe that it was a form of money laundering but also gold smuggling”.
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