Several persons caught mining illegally within the Iwokrama Protected area have been arrested and will face charges.

The Iwokrama Conservation Centre announced today that a number of illegal miners were caught during an operation that was conducted by the  Guyana Geology and Mines Commission along with Guyana Police Force and with support from Ministry of Natural Resources.

A Brazilian national with ties to a nearby village was among those arrested. Two other Guyanese were arrested along with him at one illegal mining site.

Iwokrama said over the past years, it has been besieged by illegal gold mining in the Siparuni area and has sent stern warnings that such intrusions will be forcefully dealt with. 

According to the Conservation Centre, several enforcement activities led by Government of Guyana regulatory agencies have been undertaken to curb these illegal activities which saw 14 persons were arrested in 2024.   

Community leaders associated with Iwokrama have also strongly condemned resident community persons’ involvement in illegal gold mining within Iwokrama and signed on to a joint communique in October 2024.

Under that agreement, the two sides committed to work together on a comprehensive monitoring programme that will include communication and reporting mechanisms among each other and reporting on any suspicious activities in and around their communities and the Iwokrama Forest.

According to the statement from Iwokrama, its forests remain important to the livelihoods of the communities of Regions 8 and 9 and 2, and the national reputation of Guyana as a country known for its biodiversity conservation initiatives.  

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