Nine more individuals were arrested, charged, and brought before the courts in January 2026 for violations of Guyana’s mining laws and regulations, according to a statement from the Ministry of Natural Resources. This brings the total number of persons prosecuted for mining-related offenses to 53.
The Ministry noted that these cases were concluded in the Bartica, Mahdia, and Linden Magistrates’ Courts, where the offenders pleaded guilty and were fined for their involvement in illegal mining operations.
The offenses included mining without a valid license or permit, operating licensed dredges on mining properties without the necessary permissions, and using unregistered or unlicensed dredges. In accordance with the law, the courts imposed various fines for these infractions.
These latest convictions join the 44 individuals previously arrested and charged as part of the Ministry’s intensified campaign against illegal mining operations. The Ministry of Natural Resources has stated that this crackdown will continue unabated to ensure compliance with mining laws and regulations in the country.
