By The Respondent Reporter
Mwanza – The government has seized diamonds worth over Sh1.7 billion that were being smuggled out of the country through Mwanza Airport.
The incident happened on May 18, 2025, and was announced by the Minister of Minerals, Anthony Mavunde.
Speaking to journalists in Mwanza on the night of May 23, Mavunde said the diamonds were caught through a joint operation involving security forces and government agencies.
A foreign national, whose name has not been revealed, is being questioned to help with further investigations.
“We are doing a deep investigation to find out who else is involved in this smuggling network,” said Mavunde.
“Those found guilty will face legal action, including going to court, losing their diamonds, and having their business licenses canceled.”he added
Smuggling minerals is a crime in Tanzania. It also costs the government a lot of money in lost taxes and fees. That’s why the government is taking this issue seriously.
Minister Mavunde explained that the government has worked hard to improve the mineral business in the country. It has opened 43 official mineral markets and 49 buying centers to make it easier and safer to trade legally.
“There’s no reason for anyone to sell or buy minerals illegally. If you do, you risk getting arrested, losing your minerals, and being banned from working in the mining business,” he warned.
Thanks to better regulation, the government’s earnings from the mining sector have gone up a lot. In 2015/16, the sector brought in Sh162 billion.
By 2023/24, it had increased to Sh753 billion. This year, the target is Sh1 trillion, and already more than Sh925 billion has been collected.
These numbers show that the government’s efforts to manage the mining sector are working. However, cases like this show there’s still work to be done to stop illegal activities.
The Mwanza Regional Commissioner, Said Mtanda, said his office is working closely with other government departments to close all gaps that allow mineral smuggling.
The Ministry of Minerals has also formed a special team to fight smuggling. This team has already worked in Tunduru and is now going to Nyamongo to continue its efforts.