DEAL WITH THESE FRAUDSTERS

What you need to know:

It is revealed that numerous syndicates in Dar es Salaam, exploiting the fact that Tanzania is renowned for its gold, have over the years been making money from foreigners who come to this country for the precious metal.

The main story in yesterday’s edition of The Citizen under the headline ‘Fake gold syndicate busted during city drugs operation’ sounds stranger than fiction. Why? It is hard to comprehend the audacity of some of our compatriots who see nothing in enriching themselves through outright cheating!

It is revealed that numerous syndicates in Dar es Salaam, exploiting the fact that Tanzania is renowned for its gold, have over the years been making money from foreigners who come to this country for the precious metal.

It is noteworthy that the fake gold “manufacturers” and their contraband were seized by officers from the Drug Control and Enforcement Authority by chance, for the narcotics team was actually pursuing illicit drugs processors following a tip-off.

We believe gemstone and precious metal conmen become hard to nail, prosecute and convict because their victims, for their part, are not that much clean either. Trying to acquire gold from people you meet in street corners cannot be the correct way of acquiring the merchandise. Or could it be that some foreigners naively believe ours is a “land of gold” where one can purchase the precious metal from just about anybody, anywhere?

We believe our undercover police operatives and members of the intelligence, if they take the matter seriously enough, can identify the conmen, expose them and ensure they are jailed.