The Police Nationale Congolaise (Congolese National Police), in conjunction with Interpol are investigating a case of gold theft and smuggling surrounding the disappearance of up to 500kg of gold stolen in a privately-run warehouse in Goma suburbs in North Kivu Province of Congo.
The case started in January 2017 when a warehouse manager working for the Cooperative Miniere d’Ihusi in Goma – North Kivu identified as Mr Mulume Mweze, was arrested and detained in Goma following the disappearance of 30kgs of gold.
Further investigations led the police investigators to the arrest of individuals behind a gold smuggling syndicate operation between DRC, Uganda, Tanzania and Kenya.
Semi refined gold is smuggled without paying any taxes or royalties to the Congolese Government. According to official reports from the Police Nationale Congolaise, the cartel members use diplomatic bags and chartered small planes operating from Goma and Kavumu Airports in North and South Kivu provinces, the gold is channeled through the East African Community countries before ending in International markets in Dubai, Hong Kong, London, and Istanbul.
After several export attempts in Nairobi and Tanzania, where several fake customs entries and several fake documentations were used, sources indicate that the trail of 346kgs of gold, part of the disappeared shipment location might be in Uganda.
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