SOCU operation: Essequibo miner arrested, gold, cash seized

A gold miner and businessman from the Essequibo Coast was arrested on Tuesday during a Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) operation.

According to a release, SOCU officers, acting on intelligence gathered over a sustained period, swooped down on the premises of Mahindar Nauth Ghanesh, located at Lot 1-2 Track B, New Road, Essequibo Coast.

The operation led to the seizure of a substantial quantity of cash and gold.

Ghanesh, who had been under surveillance by both local and international authorities, is believed to have extensive connections to illicit gold trading networks. He was taken into custody during the raid and is reportedly cooperating with investigators.

This latest operation forms part of a broader national strategy aimed at dismantling organised criminal networks involved in gold smuggling across Guyana.