Surinamese police have seized approximately 850 kilograms of copper materials which they say were smuggled from Guyana, and detained a 30-year-old man following a vehicle search at the Burnside checkpoint in Coronie.
In a statement published on October 7, the Suriname Police Force said officers discovered the materials during a routine check in the early hours of Saturday, October 3. The driver was identified only by the initials I.B.
A search of the vehicle’s boot and back seat uncovered 30 polyethylene bags containing copper pipes, electrical cables and air-conditioning lines.
Police said their investigation indicated that the driver had purchased the goods in Nickerie, but he was unable to produce a receipt. Further inquiries established that the cargo had been smuggled into Suriname from Guyana, the statement alleged.
Following consultation with the Public Prosecution Service, the suspect was placed in custody. Both the copper materials and the vehicle were seized. Investigations are continuing.
The statement did not identify the supplier, disclose the driver’s nationality or specify how the materials crossed the border. It also did not say that the copper had been stolen.
The seizure comes against a background of copper theft in Guyana, including a recent case involving the Bharrat Jagdeo Demerara River Bridge.
Kiskadee Watch reported on September 6 that Roy Morgan, 39, had been sentenced to 12 months’ imprisonment after pleading guilty to stealing copper cable from the bridge. Police said the theft occurred between August 23 and September 1.
Tuschen businessman Mustafid Pashaw, called “Mustaf”, was separately charged with receiving stolen articles and granted G$300,000 bail.
Following that incident, the Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce warned that licensed scrap-metal dealers found handling illegally obtained copper faced cancellation of their licences and prosecution. It also threatened to end the scrap-metal trade if illegal practices continued, Kiskadee Watch reported.
Copper theft has also affected telecommunications services. Stabroek News reported on January 21 this year that One Communications said its copper cables had been repeatedly targeted for their resale value during 2025, interrupting services to homes and businesses.
The company said reducing its copper network and replacing lines with fibre had helped lessen theft and vandalism-related disruptions.
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