GoldBod task force arrests three Indians over alleged gold smuggling

Three Indian nationals have been arrested for illegal gold trading. The GoldBod Security Taskforce acted on a tip-off from a whistleblower.

The suspects are Goutam Katriya, 35; Miraj Sarvaych, 22; and Manash Damani, 42. They were caught at a private residence near Atinga Junction in Kumasi. This location was converted into an unauthorized gold trading center.

The trio operates under the name Unique MM in Kumasi and Accra. Musah Salifu, a Ghanaian, allegedly fronts the company. Investigations suggest that Salifu is just a proxy for Katriya, the true owner.

At a press conference in Accra, Chief Superintendent Osman Alhassan shared details of the case. The suspects bought gold at black market rates to smuggle it to India. They used unapproved border routes for this purpose.

During the operation, authorities recovered several items. These included GHC 1.9 million, 4,500 Indian rupees, and 4.363 kilograms of gold. They also seized two currency counting machines, a CCTV recorder, and an Indian passport.

Alhassan noted that the suspects lacked valid licenses to trade in gold in Ghana. They also failed to show residence or work permits despite operating for over ten years.

The suspects appeared before the Achimota Circuit Court on Monday. They have been remanded into custody until May 12, 2025.

“This arrest marks the start of GoldBod’s campaign against illegal activities,” said Alhassan. He emphasized that such actions harm the economy and that they are pursuing other criminals involved.

In related news, the Ghana Gold Board has reiterated its directive for foreign nationals in gold trading to leave by April 30, 2025. All transactions must be conducted in Ghana cedis at the Bank of Ghana’s reference rate.

A press release dated April 23, 2025 states that violating these directives is an offense under the GoldBod Act, 2025 (Act 1140).