Gold miner caught with unmarked shotguns

Elvis Bartolo Pacheco, a 56-year-old Venezuelan national and gold miner, was arrested on Monday after two shotguns – a 12- gauge and a 16-gauge – were found in his possession at Black Banana Access Trail, North West District in Region One.

Police Headquarters in a statement said ranks on patrol carried out a search at about 13:30hrs on Pacheco when the firearms were discovered.

“A search was conducted on Pacheco during which ranks found a 12-gauge single-barrel shotgun without serial number and a 16-gauge single-barrel shotgun without serial number with the butt sawn off and wrapped in a transparent plastic,” the police report stated.

Police said Pacheco was arrested and taken to the Matthew’s Ridge Police Station.   The firearms were marked, sealed and lodged. Investigations are ongoing.