This Wednesday, December 25, 2025, customs officers at Ivato airport in Madagascar intercepted a large shipment of 53 kilograms of gold, intended to leave the territory illegally.
This seizure is the result of the strengthening of border controls put in place to fight against this scourge which deprives the country of precious resources.
This new raid comes on top of a series of similar seizures carried out in recent years. Last December, customs had already got their hands on 13.86 kilograms of gold.
In 2020 and 2021, respectively 73 and 49 kilograms of gold were intercepted abroad, coming from Madagascar.
These figures demonstrate the scale of gold trafficking in Madagascar and the determination of traffickers to circumvent controls.
This illicit trade deprives the State of significant revenue and fuels transnational criminal networks. The fight against gold trafficking is a priority for the Malagasy authorities. The repeated seizures demonstrate their commitment to putting an end to this phenomenon.
They are striving to strengthen security measures to stem these illegal activities which harm public finances.
However, the work remains considerable. Traffickers are increasingly inventive, using sophisticated methods to hide their cargo and often have accomplices at various levels, including in official institutions.
Cooperation between customs, law enforcement and financial institutions, such as the Central Bank, is necessary to ensure transparency and traceability of resources.
Belgium
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