By Lake Zone Watch Writer
Gold worth more than 1.3bn/-, which was being smuggled to a foreign country, has been impounded, a cabinet minister has disclosed.
The consignment of 163 pieces of the precious metal, weighing 4,434.66 grammes, and valued at 1,345,998,292.67/-, was confiscated on July 1 this year.
Deputy Minister for Minerals, Dr Steven Kiruswa, told reporters in Kagera region on Monday that the confiscation of the minerals follows a special operation mounted by the Tanzania Mining Commission's task force on anti-mineral smuggling in collaboration with other law enforcement agencies.
"We'll continue strengthening the mineral sector to ensure that all minerals are sold through the formal government channels," Dr Kiruswa said.
He also revealed that between July 2025 and March 2026, the government seized minerals worth 3.31bn/- in 55 recorded incidents.
He explained that procedures to confiscate the impounded minerals as government property are continuing according to the law.
However, the deputy minister did not say what steps would be taken against people involved in the illegal trade.
He urged miners, businesspeople and the public to use the mineral markets established across the country to conduct their business in a transparent way instead of denying the government of its rightful income.
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