Government has launched investigations to detect a network of people involved in mineral smuggling in the country.
Minister for Minerals, Anthony Mavunde, told journalists at the weekend in Mwanza that the results of the investigations would pave the way for the government to come up with urgent punitive measures against illicit mineral dealers.
Governments probe into mineral smuggling comes in the wake of the arrest of an Indian national on May 18, 2025 at Mwanza airport, who was found with 2,729.82 carats of raw diamonds worth 1.7bn/- which were illegally being transported to an unknown destination.
The precious stones were impounded at the Mwanza airport by government security agencies as the arrested person was put into custody to help investigations before appearing in court to answer charges of illegally transporting the said minerals.
The Tanzanian mining law strictly prohibits mineral smuggling across borders as it denies government of its revenue accrued from the mining industry.
Minister Mavunde warned that no stone would be left unturned in the punishing of illegal mineral dealers evading taxes and regulations in order to sell their ill-gotten products in a black market for higher prices.
Recently, government unveiled new measures to fight the illicit mineral trade in the country with a new focus on oversight and technology.
The measures include strengthening of monitoring and accountability, supervision and traceability, and cracking down mineral smuggling often conducted by miners and traders.
Acknowledging the major contribution of the mining sector to the national economy, the Tanzanian government has taken bold step to control mineral smuggling by issuing licenses to small-scale miners and establishing regulated markets.
Illegal mining and smuggling have fertile ground in areas with weak governance and oversight. Smugglers often seek to sell minerals at higher prices in the black market, bypassing legal channels and tax obligations.
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