An Al Jazeera investigation has discovered some of Southern Africa’s greatest gold-smuggling organizations, revealing how these gangs help criminals all around the world launder billions of dollars while also assisting governments in skirting international sanctions.
Gold Mafia, a four-part Al Jazeera Investigative Unit (I-Unit) series based on hundreds of undercover operations over three continents and thousands of documents, also demonstrates how government officials and entrepreneurs profit from the unlawful transfer of gold across borders.
The study uncovers how billions of dollars in gold are trafficked from Zimbabwe to Dubai every month, allowing criminals to launder filthy money through a labyrinth of shell businesses, forged invoices, and corrupt authorities.
The research also reveals how Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration is aggressively exploiting gold smugglers to circumvent Western sanctions placed on the country. Money laundering and gold smuggling operations involve one of Zimbabwe’s most powerful ambassadors and extend all the way to the president and his circle.
Millionaires are among the smugglers, one of whom is suspected of nearly bankrupting Kenya through a similar, corrupt operation using gold.
Watch the video below:
Source | Al Jazeera
