Three Chinese citizens have been arrested in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo, with 12 gold bars and $800,000 in cash hidden under their vehicle seats, the BBC reports.
South Kivu Governor Jean Jacques Purus said the arrests were kept secret after other Chinese citizens accused of illegal gold mining were recently released.
The eastern part of the DRC, rich in gold, diamonds and battery minerals, has faced decades of instability due to the exploitation of foreign groups and the militia’s control over mines, where leaders profit by selling resources to intermediaries.
Governor Purusi revealed that the arrests were kept secret because of ties between some metal traders and powerful figures in Kinshasa. Acting on the tip, authorities discovered gold and cash after a thorough search of vehicles near the Rwandan border, but did not disclose the exact amount of gold.
The BBC report noted that last month Purusi expressed outrage at the release of 17 Chinese citizens accused of illegal gold mining, claiming it was undermining DRC’s efforts to reform the corrupt mineral sector. The group reportedly owed $10 million in taxes and fines. The Chinese embassy has not responded to the allegations.
The arrests followed an ongoing conflict in North Kivu, where a Rwanda-backed rebel group has seized territory. Last month, the DRC announced a lawsuit against Apple over “minerals in the blood” that led the company to stop sourcing from the DRC and Rwanda. Rwanda denies involvement in the export of illegal minerals.
“These actions have fuelled a cycle of violence and conflict by funding militias and terrorist groups, and have contributed to the forced employment of children and the destruction of the environment,” lawyers acting on behalf of the Congolese government said.
