Zanzibar trader held over 8kg gold haul
What you need to know:
The suspect was arrested at Abeid Amani Karume International Airport at around 9pm on Wednesday as he was about to board a flight to Dubai, according to Zanzibar Police commissioner Juma Yusuf Ali.
Zanzibar. Police in Zanzibar have arrested a prominent businessman as he allegedly attempted to smuggle out eight kilogrammes of gold.
The suspect was arrested at Abeid Amani Karume International Airport at around 9pm on Wednesday as he was about to board a flight to Dubai, according to Zanzibar Police commissioner Juma Yusuf Ali.
He was also allegedly found in possession of currencies of at least 15 countries. The value of the currencies in Tanzanian shillings was not revealed.
“Apart from gold, we also found on him $235,000, 57,000 euros as well as currencies of 15 other countries,” Mr Ali said, adding that the suspect was arrested upon inspection of his luggage.
“The law requires one to obtain a permit to export minerals. We are working to establish whether he has the required documents. That’s why we are holding him.”
A kilo of gold can fetch up to $41,292.81 (about Sh93 million) in the international market. The eight kilogrammes can therefore fetch Sh744 million.
In August, the government impounded 14 kilogrammes of diamonds at Julius Nyerere International Airport in Dar es Salaam as they were about to be flown out to Belgium.
The diamonds were said to be valued at $29.5 million (Sh65.7 billion), and not $14.7 million as had been declared.
Finance and Planning minister Philip Mpango ordered the impoundment of the gemstones for violation of the East African Customs Management Act.
The law says in part: “In addition to any other circumstances in which goods are liable to forfeiture under this Act, the following goods shall be liable to forfeiture … any goods in respect of which, in any matter relating to the Customs, any entry, declaration, certificate, application or other document, answer, statement or representation, which is knowingly false or knowingly incorrect in any particular has been delivered, made or produced.”
“I’m told that the under-declared diamonds were intercepted five minutes before the plane was due to depart. We would have lost more than Sh2.2 billion in royalty,” Dr Mpango was quoted saying.
