Chinese Travel Agent allegedly involved in a gold smuggling ring on $400,000 bail
Kaieteur News – The 30-year-old Chinese Travel agent who was allegedly involved in a gold smuggling ring was on Monday placed on $400,000 bail for possession of an illegal firearm and ammunition.
Alleged suspect of gold smuggling ring released on bail: Ying Xin Su
The woman, Ying Xin Su, an employee of Muneshwer’s Travel Service made her second court appearance before Magistrate Dylon Bess at the Diamond Magistrates’ Court.
Attorney Bernard DaSilva who represented Su denied that his client was part of a gold smuggling ring and told the court that his client was not in possession of the said firearm and ammunition.
Magistrate Bess released Su on $250,000 bail for firearm possession and $150,000 bail for possession of ammunition. Further, the magistrate instructed that Su reports to the Criminal Investigations Department Headquarters on the first Monday of every month.
She is scheduled to return to court on August 9 and 11 for trial.
Meanwhile, during Su’s first court appearance on July 12, 2024 at the Diamond Magistrates’ Court she pleaded not guilty to the possession of arms and ammunition charges. She was remanded.
It is alleged that on July 9, 2024, Su had a 9mm Glock pistol and 14 9mm rounds of ammunition in her possession. She is not the holder of a firearm licence.
She was arrested along with two Chinese men – one of them identified as Yang Su, her driver – on the said date at a city hotel. They were arrested after police managed to dismantle a transnational criminal network in Guyana reportedly involved in gold smuggling and other illegal activities.
During the bust, police confiscated some $39M in cash from them along with an unlicensed firearm with matching bullets. Ying Xin Su was later charged with the illegal possession of the firearm and the bullets while the two Chinese men remain under investigation.
Additionally, another Chinese woman, 34-year-old Zhong Jin Ziang, suspected of being involved in the said gold smuggling ring was granted bail for over-staying her time in Guyana.
According to police, she is also a customer representative at Muneshwers Travel Service and was arrested on July 15 during the course of an investigation into a major money laundering and gold smuggling operation in the country.
Ziang appeared at the Grove/Diamond Magistrates’ Court before Magistrate Judy Latchman and pleaded not guilty to the offence. She was placed on $60,000 bail and the case was transferred to the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court where she is scheduled to appear on August 14, 2024.
A wanted bulletin was also issued by police for another Chinese man identified as, Zhenjian Fang of 47 New Road, Vreed-en-Hoop, West Coast Demerara (WCD). According to the bulletin, he is wanted for questioning in relation to money laundering and related serious offences in Guyana.
