Three (3) suspected gold smugglers have been arrested by the GoldBod security taskforce.
The three suspects — Goutam Katriya, 35, Miraj Sarvaych, 22, Manash Damani, 42, are Indian nationals who are in the business of trading gold in Kumasi and Accra for Unique MM, a company allegedly owned by one Musah Salifu.
The suspects were arrested at their private residence around Atinga Junction in Kumasi, which has been converted into a gold trading center.
The arrest was based on a tip off from a patriotic whistle blower that the suspects were purchasing gold at “black market” rate for the purpose of smuggling.
The suspects were arraigned before the Achimota Circuit court yesterday and remanded into custody for a period of two (2) weeks.
At a press conference in Accra, the Director of Investigations at National Security, Chief Superintendent Osman Alhassan, disclosed that an amount of 1.9 million cedis, 4,500 rupees, 4.363 kilograms of gold, two counting machines, a CCTV recorder and an Indian passport were found in the possession of the suspects.
Preliminary investigations by National Security so far revealed, that none of the three suspects possess a valid license that allows them to purchase or deal in gold in the country.
The suspects who been dealing in gold in Ghana for over a decade, have not been able to adduce any residence permit or work permit or tax payment records on their business operations.
Additionally, it’s been revealed that Musah Salifu, a Ghanaian, who is alleged to be the sole shareholder of the Unique MM, is only a front for Goutam Katriya, the real beneficial owner and alter ego of the company.
Chief Superintendent Osman Alhassan cautioned both Ghanaians and foreign nationals against violating the provisions of the Ghana Gold Board Act and other laws governing the gold trading sector of the country.
Source : www.kumasimail.com /Isaac Justice Bediako
