Five masked gunmen raided three mining camps at Toroparu Backdam, Lower Puruni River, on Tuesday, stealing raw gold, cash and a security guard’s rifle, according to the Guyana Police Force (GPF).
Several workers were physically assaulted during the raids, which police said occurred between 9:30 a.m. and 5 p.m.
Investigators said the men, armed with rifles and a shotgun, first entered a mining operation owned by a 52-year-old Brazilian miner. They confronted workers and forced them to surrender an undisclosed quantity of raw gold.
The gang then escorted the workers to the main camp, where they took their cellular phones. Police said the suspects also caused an undisclosed sum of money to be transferred from a bank account belonging to a 34-year-old Brazilian woman.
After stealing an all-terrain vehicle, the men proceeded to two other mining camps in the area.
At one of those locations, they disarmed a 26-year-old security guard, taking his AR semi-automatic rifle and eighteen rounds of .223 ammunition.
Police said the suspects demanded gold and cash from workers at both camps and assaulted several of them before escaping with the stolen weapon and ammunition.
Ranks who subsequently visited the area recovered the ATV abandoned in nearby bushes.
The value of the stolen gold and cash was not disclosed, and police provided no details on the extent of the workers’ injuries.
Investigators are continuing efforts to locate the suspects.
