Three Indian nationals arrested for engaging in illegal gold trading in Ghana
Three Indian nationals have been arrested for allegedly engaging in illegal gold trading in Ghana.
They have since been arraigned before the Achimota Circuit Court and have been remanded into custody.
They are to reappear on May 12, 2025.
They were arrested at a house near the Atinga junction at Ahodwo in Kumasi.
They have been named as — Goutam Katriya, 35, Miraj Sarvaych, 22 and Manash Damani, 42.
They were picked up from a private residence near Atinga Junction in Kumasi, which had been converted into a gold trading hub, according to Sammy Gyamfi, acting Chief Executive Officer of the newly formed Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod).
They were then transported to Accra and arraigned before the Achimota Circuit Court on Monday, April 28, 2025, according to the GoldBod.
Mr Sammy Gyamfi in a post on social media indicated that a security taskforce suspected the usage of the residence for gold trading and smuggling operations and therefore stormed the house to arrest the suspects.
This, he said was based on a tip off by whistleblower, that, the trio were purchasing gold on the black market with the intention of smuggling it out of Ghana.
At the time of arrest, security operatives reportedly seized 4.363 kilogrammes of gold, GH₵1.9 million in cash, 4,500 Indian rupees, two cash counting machines, a CCTV recorder, and an Indian passport from the residence.
In Mr Sammy Gyamfi's post on social media, he said preliminary investigations indicated that none of the suspects possess valid licenses to buy or trade gold in Ghana.
He added that the suspects were yet to produce any valid residence or work permits, nor any tax records to establish the legality of their business operations in the country.
He said the company for which the suspects operate — Unique MM — is registered under a Ghanaian name, Musah Salifu, who is believed to be fronting for Goutam Katriya, identified as the actual beneficial owner and operator of the business.
“The arrest is part of an intensified national crackdown on gold smuggling and illegal trading,” he added.
Read the post by Sammy Gyamfi :
*THREE SUSPECTED GOLD SMUGGLERS ARRESTED BY GOLDBOD SECURITY TASKFORCE, REMANDED INTO CUSTODY BY CIRCUIT COURT*
— Sammy Gyamfi (@SammyGyamfi_) April 29, 2025
29th April, 2025
Three (3) suspected gold smugglers have been arrested by the GoldBod security taskforce.
The three suspects — Goutam Katriya, 35, Miraj Sarvaych,… pic.twitter.com/eWzGKSutVf
