President Trumps administration has escalated its campaign against the illicit mineral trade in Central Africa by sanctioning a Kigali-based gold refinery that it says sits at the heart of a sophisticated network smuggling conflict gold from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)

OFAC sanctioned PARECO-FF, CDMC, and two Hong Kong firms for smuggling coltan from Congo to Rwanda, escalating US action against conflict mineral networks.

The US Treasury sanctioned Rwanda's Gasabo Gold Refinery and associated entities for laundering conflict gold linked to M23 rebels in eastern Congo.