Three Indian Nationals Arrested for Gold Smuggling in Kumasi
Three Indian nationals have been arrested by the GoldBod Security Taskforce for allegedly engaging in illegal gold trading and smuggling activities in Ghana.
The suspects—35-year-old Goutam Katriya, 22-year-old Miraj Sarvaych, and 42-year-old Manash Damani—were apprehended at a private residence near Atinga Junction in Kumasi, which had been converted into an unlawful gold trading hub. The trio is said to be operating under the name Unique MM, a company purportedly owned by a Ghanaian, Musah Salifu.
However, according to preliminary investigations, Salifu is only a front for Goutam Katriya, who is believed to be the beneficial owner and controller of the firm.
Their arrest followed a tip-off from a whistleblower who reported that the suspects were purchasing gold at black market prices with the intention of smuggling it out of the country.
The suspects were arraigned before the Achimota Circuit Court on Monday, April 28, 2025, and were remanded into custody for two weeks. They are expected to reappear in court on May 12, 2025.
At a press briefing held in Accra on Tuesday, April 29, Director of Investigations at National Security, Chief Superintendent Osman Alhassan, disclosed that a cache of evidence was recovered during the operation. These included GH¢1.9 million, 4,500 Indian rupees, 4.363 kilograms of gold, two money counting machines, a CCTV recorder, and an Indian passport.
He revealed that the suspects had no valid licence to trade in gold and failed to present evidence of residence permits, work permits, or tax filings, despite reportedly operating in Ghana’s gold sector for over ten years.
“This arrest is only the beginning of GoldBod’s ruthless war against illegal gold trading and gold smuggling. We know that the arrested suspects smuggle gold through unapproved border points into India. This has serious negative consequences for the Ghanaian economy,” Chief Superintendent Alhassan stated.
He further warned both Ghanaian citizens and foreign nationals against contravening the Ghana Gold Board Act and other relevant regulations governing the gold trade.
The arrest comes on the heels of intensified efforts by GoldBod to sanitise the gold sector. The Board recently reiterated its directive for all foreign nationals engaged in gold trading to exit the sector by April 30, 2025. It also directed that all gold transactions be carried out exclusively in Ghana cedis and at the Bank of Ghana Reference Rate.
In a statement dated April 23, 2025, GoldBod noted that non-compliance with its directives would constitute a punishable offence under the GoldBod Act, 2025 (Act 1140).
