Guyana to probe multi-million dollar gold heist

GEORGETOWN, Guyana (AFP) - Guyana has launched an international probe into the seizure by gunmen of US$11.5 million (S$14 million) of raw gold from a Guyanese-registered vessel that was docked at the Caribbean island of Curacao, officials said on Saturday.

Guyana's Natural Resources Minister Robert Persaud warned that anyone trying to illegally export the 213kg of precious yellow metal could be prosecuted.

He said Guyana's Foreign Ministry has already formally requested Curacao share all information about the incident, which occurred Friday morning aboard the MV Summer Bliss, whose captain and crew are all Guyanese.

"We have asked for all pertinent information. We have been very general and broad (...) We basically want to know what the crew told them (the Curacao authorities) and as much information that we can get, that can advise us here about whether or not the gold emanated from Guyana", Persaud told AFP.