Authorities in Ghana have arrested three Indian nationals suspected of running a long-standing gold smuggling operation that has allegedly siphoned tons of gold out of the country over the past ten years.
According to the national gold trading regulator, the suspects, aged 35, 22, and 42, were detained in the southern city of Kumasi, where their residence had reportedly been transformed into an illegal gold trading hub.
At their arraignment, the trio pleaded guilty and will remain in custody ahead of a court hearing scheduled for May 12.
Seized items include 4.363 kilograms of gold, 1.9 million Ghanaian cedis ($134,000), 4,500 Indian rupees ($53), two counting machines, a CCTV recorder, and an Indian passport.
The arrests come amid renewed efforts by the Ghanaian government to curb gold smuggling, which is believed to cost the country billions of dollars annually.
In March, authorities launched a new regulatory body, GoldBod, tasked with centralizing gold purchases from small-scale miners and limiting access to the metal by foreign companies, who must now buy exclusively through the agency.
GoldBod said the suspects lacked valid residence permits, work authorizations, and tax documentation.
Much of the illegally traded gold is believed to be exported to India, China, and the UAE.
