An operation on Sunday by the Guyana Police Force has uncovered a suspected mercury smuggling operation involving a Brazilian gold miner and an illegal airstrip in the South Rupununi.
At approximately 10:55 hrs, Commander of Regional Police Division #9, Senior Superintendent Raphael Rose, was alerted to the presence of an aircraft attempting to land on an illegal airstrip located in Bashaizon Village, near Aishalton.
Senior Superintendent Rose quickly mobilised a team, including Inspector Alfred, Detective Sergeant De Jonge, Sergeant Joseph, and other members of the Guyana Police Force, as well as three officers from the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit, to investigate the situation.
The team, led by Sergeant Joseph, departed from the Aishalton Police Station in a convoy of all-terrain vehicles.
Upon arrival at the scene, the ranks observed a large, makeshift airstrip running north to south, approximately three miles from the village’s main access road. A black, gold, and white Islander aircraft, bearing the registration #PU-MBN, was seen parked on the airstrip, with a dark-coloured, fully tinted four-door pickup truck positioned nearby.
As police approached, they saw two fair-skinned men disembark from the aircraft and board the pickup. The pickup attempted to flee, colliding with the plane in the process. The vehicle then drove off at speed, heading southward, but not before one of the men fell from the truck.
Police quickly apprehended the man who had fallen. Despite efforts by law enforcement to halt the fleeing vehicle—including the discharge of two warning shots— the pickup sped across the Takutu River into neighbouring Brazil, successfully making its escape.
The arrested man was identified as Robistaine Peixoto Saraiva, a 48-year-old Brazilian gold miner from Boa Vista, Brazil.
Saraiva was told of several offences, but a search of his person revealed no illegal substances.
During subsequent questioning, Saraiva revealed crucial information regarding the operation. He stated that the pilot of the aircraft, known to him only by the alias ‘Wallefi Kayck,’ had fled into Brazil. Saraiva further disclosed that he had chartered the aircraft from the Santa Len De Para Company in Brazil earlier in the week and had been involved in the transportation of mercury, a key component used in gold mining.
According to Saraiva, the plane made a stop in Venezuela on October 4, where they dropped off ten cylinders of mercury before flying to Guyana. The plan was to procure additional mercury from a Brazilian contact known only as ‘Mute’ for use in his gold mining operations in Brazil.
A search of the aircraft revealed several electronic devices, including an iPhone 13 Pro Max, a Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, and a Samsung Galaxy A03, alongside a number of navigational tools such as Garmin GPS devices. The police also discovered two black haversacks, a quantity of male clothing, and other personal items aboard the plane.
Notably, the authorities found a black-and-white NK 150 CC motorcycle, registered #4693, hidden in nearby bushes approximately 200 feet from the airstrip. It is believed that this motorcycle may have been used in the operation.
Detectives have since processed and photographed the entire scene, collecting valuable evidence that may aid the ongoing investigation. Several individuals in the vicinity were also questioned, and useful information was obtained.
The investigation remains active, and law enforcement officials are continuing their efforts to track down the pilot and uncover the full scope of the illegal operation.
