By: Travis Chase | HGP Nightly News |
Brazilian authorities have uncovered yet another major gold-smuggling operation with possible links to Guyana, following the seizure of more than 51 kilograms of gold aboard a small aircraft in Boa Vista on Tuesday morning. The haul—valued at nearly 37 million reais (approximately US$6.5 million)—is the latest in a string of high-value interceptions raising concerns about a thriving transnational smuggling pipeline.
Federal Police agents moved in at the Atlas Brasil Cantanhede International Airport in Boa Vista, intercepting the aircraft shortly after it arrived from Itaituba, Pará, a region long associated with illegal mining corridors. Officers discovered 54 gold bars, as well as a firearm and ammunition inside the cabin.
The pilot was arrested on the spot, while three additional occupants were detained for questioning.
Possible Guyanese Connection Emerges
Sources close to the investigation tell Nightly News that the probe may extend beyond Brazil’s borders.
A senior official familiar with the operation said investigators believe the seized gold may have originated in Guyana, remarking that “the usual Guyanese suspects are once again under the radar.”
The official noted that several unclaimed shipments of gold have been intercepted in Brazil in recent months—an indicator, he said, of sophisticated cross-border smuggling rings that rely on anonymity and deniability.
Rampant Cross-Border Smuggling Highlighted
According to investigators, gold smuggling between Guyana and Brazil remains widespread, enabled by porous borders, clandestine airstrips, and a well-established network of illegal couriers, financiers, and buyers operating along remote mining routes.
Brazil’s Civil Aviation Agency, ANAC, confirmed that the aircraft involved in Tuesday’s seizure was operating illegally, transporting passengers and cargo without authorization. The pilot’s licenses have been suspended, and the aircraft has been seized as evidence.
Part of a Wider Crackdown on Illegal Mining
Brazil’s Federal Police, ANAC carried out the coordinated operation, and the Casa de Governo, a federal agency deeply involved in combating illegal mining and organized crime in northern Brazil.
Investigators are now working to determine whether the detained crew forms part of a larger transnational network involved in illegal mining, smuggling, money laundering, and tax evasion. More arrests are expected as the probe widens.
A Growing Regional Problem
This latest seizure adds to mounting concern about the scale, sophistication, and organization of the illegal gold trade between Guyana and Brazil—one that experts say is becoming increasingly lucrative and increasingly dangerous.
Authorities in both countries are now under pressure to strengthen oversight, tighten mining regulations, and dismantle the smuggling rings driving the multi-million-dollar illicit trade.
