Brazilian woman on $75K bail for attempting to smuggle gold

Erizangela Regia De Oliveira Almeida was on Monday placed on $75,000 bail after being charged with attempting to smuggle millions of dollars’ worth of gold.

Almeida, a Brazilian, appeared in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court. She is accused of purchasing gold from Inspector of Police, Munilall Persaud, a person other than the Gold Board, on March 5, 2025, at Lethem.

Almeida was represented by attorney Bernard DaSilva. Bail was granted in the sum of $75,000, with the condition that she reports to the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) every third Wednesday.

The matter was adjourned to March 19 for report and disclosure.

Almeida’s accomplice, 42-year-old Albina Filho Alves Viera, who was arrested with her, was released on $1 million station bail. He was not charged.

In a press release, SOCU stated that the two were arrested after a “large quantity of gold” and over $26 million in cash were seized.

Head of SOCU, Deputy Commissioner Fazil Karimbaksh, was quoted as saying that SOCU officers were able to disrupt the smuggling operation before the gold could be moved across the border, underscoring the government’s unwavering commitment to tackling transnational crimes and protecting the nation’s valuable resources.