U.S. citizen on $800,000 bail for alleged gold smuggling

Jul 27, 2024 Court Stories, Features / Columnists, News

Kaieteur News – A 52-year-old United States (U.S.) citizen was on Thursday granted $800,000 bail when he appeared at the Diamond Magistrates’ Court to answer to a gold smuggling charge.

Ivan Anthony Scipio

The accused, Ivan Anthony Scipio, whose local residence is on D’Urban Street, Georgetown appeared at the Diamond Magistrates’ Court before Magistrate Judy Latchman to answer the charge which alleges that he attempted to smuggle $6,787,569 worth of gold out of Guyana. Scipio pleaded not guilty to the charge.

He was arrested on July 3 while he was attempting to leave Guyana on an outbound flight for New York. Reports are that he was carrying several pieces of jewellery and raw gold at the time of his arrest. The man failed to make a customs declaration and produce licences to export the gold.

As a result, Detectives from the Narcotics Branch of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) along with officers from the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA), seized the gold jewellery and raw gold from Scipio.

Investigations revealed that Scipio has been allegedly involved in other gold smuggling activities. Police said that there is a link showing that he allegedly made several exports previously but was not caught.

Scipio was granted $800,000 bail with the condition that he reports to the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) on the last Friday of every month.

He is scheduled to return to court on August 19.

• bail, CID, court, gold smuggling, Ivan Anthony Scipio, police