As the probe into the Kartuni, Cuyuni River mining camps robberies widens, Commander of ‘F’ Division, Ravindradat Budhram yesterday disclosed that a quantity of raw gold and one firearm have been confirmed missing thus far.
When contacted for an update on the matter yesterday afternoon, Budhram said that the police yesterday flew into the area. “They were picked up from one point yesterday by a helicopter and taken to another point”, Budhram said.
As the investigation continues, he said there has been no report of any serious injuries.
Budhram had explained to this newspaper that while no official report had been made to the police about the Cuyuni matter, they received information last Friday of the gang robbing camps in the Kartuni mining district and a decision was made to deploy ranks to investigate.
The officers, he said had departed since Monday but were unable to venture into the backlands immediately since they did not have any vehicles. Budhram added that because of persistent rains the roads leading to the backlands are in a deplorable condition, but Tuesday morning the ranks had begun the journey into the area on foot.
Gold miner Mohammed Sharief, of Sharief’s mining had related to this newspaper that his camp had been attacked by the gang of men. He explained that from the information he had gathered his staff were brutally beaten and robbed. The gold miner had said that the bandits, “beat my guys very bad, but we cannot get communication with them, because we have no communication.” He added that from all indications, it appears as if they had destroyed “our internet service because they did that with other camps and our radio set is apparently down as well… we are just hoping that we would hear from them.”
Sharief said that the bandits have attacked six other camps in the Region Seven area, and they speak fluent “Spanish and Portuguese, but the other one is not saying anything and it is suspected he is a Guyanese who is showing them around.”
Based on the miner’s recount, his camp was hit the worst. He had also expressed fear that the men may venture into the Puruni mining district, and carry out further attacks if they are not apprehended.
