' #OrganizedCrime is rampant in #SouthAfrica —“an existential threat,” according to a recent analysis from the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime—and gold-mining gangs are especially notorious.'

Marcena Hunter talks to Kimon de Greef about illicit gold flows ⬇️

📢Join us for a webinar launching Beyond blood: Gold, conflict and criminality in West Africa on Nov 28! globalinitiative.net/analysis/gold-…

Approaches that seek to eradicate artisanal and small-scale gold mining tend to undermine state legitimacy. Closing mines to prevent terrorists from using them for financing is counter-productive. enactafrica.org/enact-observer… via ENACT Article by myself and lucia

Negative impacts of illicit gold mining in Brazil. - Jair Bolsonaro: Why the world is watching Brazil's election
bbc.co.uk/news/world-lat…

Via TheStarKenya : 'Ex-CS, MPs linked to fake gold racket' — the-star.co.ke/news/big-read/… cc Global Initiative Julia Stanyard Marcena Hunter #Gold #FakeGold #Corruption

#SodiumCyanide : The poison wreaking havoc in gold mining the-star.co.ke/news/big-read/… via TheStarKenya and Global Initiative cc Julia Stanyard Marcena Hunter #Gold #Environment #Corruption

🇰🇪 For many years, mercury was the chemical of choice for artisanal miners extracting #gold in #Kenya .

⛏️ Today, #sodiumcyanide is increasingly being used to process gold-bearing ore – a trend seen around the world in what has been described as a ‘cyanide revolution’.

📣 Newest Eastern and Southern Africa risk bulletin features article on increasing #cyanide use to process #gold in Kenya and illegal cyanide supply chains. A deep dive into a trend we're seeing globally. Great reporting by Wuon Kalam

🔴 The decision of #Balkan crime bosses to relocate to the #UAE is part of a wider trend, and with so many kingpins in one small place, the country is seen as a haven for #criminals .

Find out more in Fatjona Mejdini and Fabian Zhilla's latest blog 👇
globalinitiative.net/analysis/balka…

Security threats, sanctions impacting Burkina Faso Nordgold. Alexey Mordashov, sanctioned by EU, transferred part of his >75% stake to Marina Aleksandrovna Mordashova leaving her with >50% stake. Swiss refiner MKS PAMP suspended commercial activities. voanews.com/a/russia-s-nor…

Update: Kerimov family sells $6 billion stake in gold miner Polyus, reducing share to 46%, down from 76%. Assets subject to control of sanctioned persons are subject to freeze, but definitions of control vary. US definition is 50% or more. bloomberg.com/news/articles/… via Bloomberg Wealth

🇷🇺 Following #Russia ’s invasion of #Ukraine , #sanctions imposed by the UK, US and EU have greatly restricted #Moscow and other sanctioned actors’ ability to access and move funds.

💰 Illicit #gold markets and gold laundering could help generate profits and move finances abroad.

A lot of news on Russian diamonds and the war in Ukraine.

With this report we try to bring clarity to the various ways in which they are linked and how the international political and business community has so far (not) responded to the challenges this raises

THREAD 🧵

🇷🇺 For several years, #Russia has been building their influence in #Mali and Central African Republic, with an increasing presence in the #gold sector.

💎 There has also been a growing number of #gold mining companies with Russian links becoming active in Africa's sector.

As the global gold market increasingly cuts off access to gold benefiting Russian actors, demand for laundering and smuggling services provided by organized crime likely to increase. bloomberg.com/news/articles/…

📣 Latest Global Initiative West Africa risk bulletin includes an article examining #Russia presence in the West Africa (and CAR) #gold sector and opportunities for generating funds or gold laundering to evade sanctions. West Africa Risk Bulletin #3 globalinitiative.net/analysis/weaob…

👀 In part 2 of the #ClanDelGolfo #DeepDive episode, we look through Messi's eyes at the #illicitmarkets the group are involved in.

🎧Hear more from Daniel Mauricio Rico, Luis Fernando Trejos Rosero, Toby Muse, Jorge Mantilla, Marcena Hunter and Ana Oliveira 👇player.captivate.fm/episode/583329…

theguardian.com/world/2022/mar…

US sanctions Alain Goetz and linked Uganda gold refineries home.treasury.gov/news/press-rel…