Five non-nationals have been detained following an expanded enforcement operation that dismantled an illegal mining operation in the Potaro Mining District.
In an update issued Saturday, September 12, 2026, the Ministry of Natural Resources said the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission’s (GGMC) Corps of Wardens detained four additional non-nationals after widening the area of the initial sweep.
The development follows the ministry’s September 10 report, which announced the dismantling of the operation and the detention of one non-national.
The expanded search uncovered excavators and trucks concealed in the surrounding jungle, along with dredges, generators, water pumps, metal detectors and other mining equipment. The equipment was seized.
The operation was conducted by the GGMC Corps of Wardens in collaboration with law-enforcement agencies as part of ongoing efforts to curb mining activities conducted outside the law.
The ministry said enforcement and surveillance will continue across Guyana’s mining districts.
“Those found operating outside the law will face the full consequences.”
It also said non-nationals previously apprehended for illegal mining are being deported.
“All non-nationals previously apprehended for involvement in illegal mining activities are being deported.”
The ministry did not disclose the identities or nationalities of the five detainees, whether they have been charged or the value of the equipment seized.
The expanded operation highlights the challenges authorities face in policing Guyana’s remote mining districts, where heavy equipment can be concealed in dense jungle and illegal operations conducted beyond established mining areas.
The government, through the GGMC and law-enforcement agencies, said it will maintain surveillance and enforcement activities across the country’s mining districts.
