3 alleged Indian gold smugglers remanded in custody 

The Achimota circuit court in Accra remanded three Indian nationals on April 28, 2025. They are accused of gold smuggling in Ghana.

The suspects are Goutam Katriya, 35, Miraj Sarvaych, 22, and Manash Damani, 42. They will remain in custody until May 12, 2025. They will reappear before the court on that date.

According to a statement from the Ghana News Agency, the suspects were arrested by a security task force in Kumasi. They were engaged in gold trading for Unique MM, a company owned by Musah Salifu, a Ghanaian.

Residents at Atinga junction in Ahodwo reported them. This location is known as their gold trading point.

A whistleblower tipped off authorities about their activities. The suspects were allegedly acquiring gold at black market rates for smuggling.

Chief Superintendent Osman Alhassan stated that authorities confiscated several items during the arrest. These included GHc 1.9 million, 4,500 rupees, and 4.363 kilograms of gold. They also seized two counting machines, a CCTV recorder, and an Indian passport.

Preliminary investigations revealed that none of the suspects had valid licenses for gold transactions in Ghana. Despite operating for over ten years, they lacked residence or work permits and tax records.

It was discovered that Musah Salifu is merely a front man for Goutam Katriya. Katriya is identified as the true owner of Unique MM.

Chief Superintendent Osman Alhassan warned against violating Ghana's Gold Board Act. He emphasized that this arrest marks the start of GoldBod’s campaign against illegal gold trading and smuggling.

He noted that these suspects smuggle gold through unauthorized border points into India. This poses serious risks to the Ghanaian economy.

GoldBod is gathering intelligence on illegal traders and smugglers for future actions.

In related news, GoldBod has ordered all foreigners in the gold sector to leave by April 30, 2025. All transactions must be conducted in Ghanaian cedis at the Bank of Ghana’s Reference Rate.

Violating these directives will result in penalties under the GoldBod Act of 2025 (ACT 1140). This information was shared in a press release from GoldBod on April 23, 2025.