Guyana targets illegal and non-compliant gold miners in nationwide crackdown

Gold miners who fail to declare their production will face swift consequences, including deregistration, prosecution and possible expulsion, as the Guyana Government intensifies its crackdown on illegal and non-compliant mining operations.

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President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali on Tuesday ordered immediate action against miners who failed to declare gold produced in 2025. He announced that all registered dredges without production declarations will be deregistered immediately, effectively revoking their permission to operate under the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC).

The president also directed authorities to identify, prosecute and expel foreign miners operating illegally in Guyana. Particular attention is being placed on some Brazilian miners whose gold declarations are either significantly low or nonexistent. According to a statement posted on the president’s official social media pages, those miners have been given 24 hours to fully comply with Guyana’s mining laws and declare their gold to the Guyana Gold Board.

The directives were issued during a meeting at State House on Friday, attended by senior officials from the Ministry of Natural Resources and the GGMC.

As part of broader compliance efforts, the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners Association (GGDMA) will collaborate to ensure all miners—across small, medium and large-scale operations—are properly registered and maintain local bank accounts.

GGDMA President Ronaldo Alphonso has urged miners to adhere to the law and sell gold through approved channels. “It is our responsibility as miners to ensure the sustainability of the industry. We need to make it compliant, and we need to declare gold. Make 2026 the year of compliance and declaration,” Alphonso said.

To further strengthen oversight of gold exports, the government has established a multi-agency task force to identify loopholes in the system. The task force includes the Attorney General, the Minister of Finance, the Commissioner-General of the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA), the head of the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU), the Governor of the Central Bank, and representatives of the Guyana Gold Board.