The Police, Army and the Mines Commission this week unearthed a massive tunnel mining operation in the New River Basin some 50 miles east of Masakenari or Gunns Village in the South Rupununi.
The New River Basin is designated a Rare Earth Mineral Reserve and as such, mining is strictly prohibited in the area.
The Army in a release said the joint team located the camp and discovered three tunnels, one of which was abandoned, while the remainder were deemed active. The team also discovered several pieces of equipment including a satellite dish. No one was found at the camp.
Due to the remoteness of the location, seizure of the equipment was not feasible, so they were subsequently destroyed.
Investigators believe that the persons who were conducting mining operations may have been utilising an illegal airstrip in Brazil, located some two miles south of the Guyana/Brazil border.
