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Three Indian nationals suspected of illegal gold trading have been arrested by the GoldBod security taskforce and remanded into custody by the Achimota Circuit Court. The suspects — Goutam Katriya (35), Miraj Sarvaych (22), and Manash Damani (42) — were apprehended at their residence near Atinga Junction in Kumasi, which had been converted into an illicit gold trading hub.
According to the Director of Investigations at National Security, Chief Superintendent Osman Alhassan, the arrest followed a whistleblower tip-off that the men were buying gold at black market rates for smuggling purposes. Items retrieved include 4.36kg of gold, GH₵1.9 million, 4,500 rupees, two counting machines, a CCTV recorder, and an Indian passport.
The suspects, operating under the company Unique MM allegedly fronted by a Ghanaian named Musah Salifu, were found without licenses, residence or work permits, or tax records. Preliminary investigations reveal that Goutam Katriya is the actual owner behind the business.
Authorities have warned that this arrest marks the beginning of a broader crackdown on illegal gold trading. The suspects will reappear in court on May 12, 2025.
GoldBod has also reminded all foreign gold traders to exit the sector by April 30, 2025, and reiterated that all gold transactions must be conducted in Ghana cedis at the Bank of Ghana Reference Rate, as mandated by the GoldBod Act, 2025 (Act 1140).
