“We are coming after you hard and strong” – Pres Ali warns gold producers engaged in illegalities

Noting that one gold smuggler alone robbed the country of some $190 billion, President Dr Irfaan Ali has sounded a warning to others who are engaged in such illegal practices in the sector.
“Those who are still not complying with the declaration, we are going to come after you hard and strong. We will find you, and you will lose your business,” the President said.
“You have a responsibility to declare your gold, and you have a responsibility to do so not by choice, but by law,” he added.
In an apparent reference to Guyanese businessmen Azruddin and Nazar Mohamed’s family, who have been indicted by a US grand jury on charges of gold smuggling, wire fraud and money laundering, President Ali highlighted how such illegal activities impact the country.
“Imagine if that money that was stolen through smuggling was available for our small and medium-sized enterprises, was available to support our cash grant programme. Imagine the additional difference it would have made,” he expressed.
In this regard, the President said his Government plans to strengthen institutions to ensure such crimes are eliminated.
“Imagine, from one gold smuggler alone, this economy lost more than $190 billion. One gold smuggler alone. We must ensure our system does not produce those kind of people any more. Our system must be locked in, must be protected and must be designed to ensure those leakages are removed,” he declared.