The Ministry of Natural Resources has seized two water dredges and a quantity of gold following a crackdown on an alleged illegal mining operation along the Puruni River in Region Seven, with three persons taken into police custody as investigations continue.
The operation was carried out on September 17, 2026, by the Enforcement Department of the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC), with support from the Guyana Police Force, the ministry said.
The enforcement team focused on mining activity taking place within the river’s buffer zone, where the authorities said the operation was being conducted illegally.
Three persons associated with the operation were escorted by police to Puruni Landing, where investigations remain ongoing. The ministry did not identify the individuals or disclose whether charges have been filed.
The action is the latest in a series of enforcement exercises targeting illegal mining in the Puruni area, a longstanding centre of gold-mining activity in Guyana’s interior.
In March 2026, the GGMC and police dismantled two illegal mining operations along the Puruni River at Kumung Kumung, where seven foreign nationals were reportedly found working illegally. Authorities subsequently instituted charges against landowners connected to the operations.
The GGMC is responsible for regulating Guyana’s mineral resources and maintains a range of licensing and permitting requirements governing mining equipment and operations. Owners of registered dredges must apply for a dredge licence, while permission to operate dredges and other specified machinery must also be obtained in accordance with the Mining Regulations.
The Commission’s regulatory framework also provides for restrictions and buffer zones intended to limit the environmental and other impacts of mining. Its published environmental guidance includes restrictions on mining activities in specified protected and buffer areas and recognises the need to protect waterways from mining-related impacts.
The Puruni and wider Mazaruni mining districts have previously been the subject of environmental concerns. In 2017, the government ordered an investigation into reports of river degradation associated with gold mining in the Puruni and Mazaruni areas, following concerns raised about pollution and the condition of waterways.
The latest seizure comes as the government says it is intensifying enforcement against operators who breach mining laws and regulations.
The Ministry of Natural Resources reminded all stakeholders of their obligation to comply with the country’s mining laws and regulations.
“Through the GGMC and in collaboration with law enforcement agencies, the Ministry of Natural Resources will continue enforcement activities to curb illegal mining and protect the country’s waterways.”
The ministry did not state the quantity or estimated value of the gold seized, nor did it provide details on the condition or value of the two dredges.
The investigation is continuing.
