By: Benjamin Nii Nai Anyetei
The Ghana Gold Board (GOLDBOD) says the illegal dollar trading and hawala networks used by a GH¢120 million gold smuggling syndicate have become the key trail in tracking down four suspects still on the run.
Chief Executive Officer Sammy Gyamfi explained that the syndicate laundered proceeds from smuggled gold through black-market forex operations and informal transfer systems such as hawala, leaving behind a financial trail now being followed by security agencies.
“From the hawala to the black-market dollar networks, these transactions are the biggest clues we are working with. It is only a matter of time before we close in on every one of them,” Mr. Gyamfi said at a press briefing in Accra.
He urged the public to share information with GOLDBOD or the Police, stressing that the Board was working with Interpol and state security agencies to dismantle the syndicate and restore integrity to Ghana’s gold trade.
