DAR ES SALAAM, May 30 — Eight traders have been arrested in Tanzania’s northwestern region of Geita in connection with smuggling out of the country an unspecified amount of gold, an official said on Sunday.
Doto Biteko, the Minister for Minerals, announced the arrest of the eight traders in a meeting with small-scale miners at the Lwamgasa area in the gold-rich Geita region.
Biteko said the government launched a clampdown on unfaithful gold traders after sales started going down in minerals trading centres.
“The eight traders have been detained helping police in their investigations,” said the minister who declined to mention the amount of gold found in possession of the traders for investigative reasons.
Biteko urged traders to stop buying gold in the streets and instead buy the precious stones in state-run mineral trading centres.
In 2019, Tanzania set up government-controlled minerals trading centres in efforts aimed at curbing illegal exports of gold and other precious minerals.
The trading centres give small-scale miners direct access to a formal, regulated market where they can go and directly trade their gold. (Xinhua)
Eight traders arrested in Tanzania for smuggling gold
