Congo rebels' vital oxyzen for survival: Gold
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Sanction busters are smuggling 40 tonnes of gold annually out of the Democratic Republic of Congo, a United Nations official has told the BBC.
Dino Mahtani said most of the gold was controlled by rebel groups who use the proceeds to buy arms.
Mr Mahtani, who is due to report to a meeting of the UN Security Council this week, said: “This money helps sustain them [the armed groups] in the field.
“Most gold is shipped to Dubai via Uganda,” he added.
Mr Mahtani, who co-ordinates UN arms embargo experts, told BBC File on 4: “Recently there was a a Congolese Senate report which talked of roughly $1.24bn (£739m) worth of gold or 40 tonnes of material smuggled out on a yearly basis without any customs declaration.”
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