Burkina Faso has intensified its crackdown on illegal gold trading networks, shutting down 25 illicit gold buying and selling offices and seizing more than 78 kilograms of gold over the past three years.
According to APANews, the country's National Anti-Gold Fraud Brigade (BNAF) disclosed that it opened 93 investigations into gold marketing fraud between 2023 and 2026, recovering more than 10 billion CFA francs (about $16.8 million) in fines and penalties.
The figures were presented during a two-day awareness workshop held in Bobo-Dioulasso for nearly 700 trainee Judicial Police Officers (OPJ) from the National Training Centre for Gendarmerie Non-Commissioned Officers.
The results offer a rare glimpse into the scale of illicit activity surrounding one of Burkina Faso's most valuable natural resources. Gold remains the country's leading export, making the sector critical to government revenues and economic stability.
According to the Brigade, investigations uncovered networks operating outside official channels, and authorities dismantled 25 illegal gold-trading offices suspected of facilitating fraudulent transactions and depriving the state of revenue.
