A criminal gang involved in gold trafficking dismantled: 330-plus billion centimes seized (video)
BY: Hana Saada
ALGIERS- The fight against organized crime has yielded a major victory as the DGSN service in charge of the fight against organized crime (SCLCO) has successfully dismantled a criminal gang involved in gold trafficking. The gang consisted of 25 suspects, including two women, who were involved in serious attacks on the national economy through the illicit trade of precious metals, tax evasion, and money laundering. Shockingly, the gang had the complicity of several agents of the public administration.
The DGSN press release on Wednesday revealed that the case was skillfully carried out thanks to the exploitation of precise information and the implementation of an action plan under the supervision of the territorially competent public prosecutor. The use of cutting-edge scientific and technological techniques, as well as considerable human and material resources, was instrumental in the success of this police operation.
The investigating officers seized a whopping 330 billion and 744 million centimes, which included 135 kilos of gold, more than 180 kilos of silver, and 140 kilos of various other precious metals. In addition, the case also led to the seizure of 5 billion centimes and 32,000 euros. The bank accounts attributed to the members of this criminal gang, with a total balance of 135 billion centimes, were also frozen.
The investigation into this economic crime was extensive and thorough, leading to searches of the suspects’ homes and the company in Algiers, Batna, Biskra, and Constantine. The mastermind behind this heinous act was a 59-year-old residing in Ben Aknoun who used his commercial register to import precious metals and take advantage of customs and tax benefits. The gold was then sold on the black market at exorbitant prices, with money transfers and tax evasion taking place through over-invoicing and fictitious companies. Shockingly, two public bank agents were involved in facilitating this crime against the Algerian economy.
The main suspect alone had a staggering 1,100 billion centimes in his personal account, a figure that is enough to make anyone’s head spin. All suspects involved in this transnational criminal gang were brought before the courts and charged with harm to the national economy, money laundering, overbilling, breach of currency laws, and more. The legal procedures were rigorous, and justice was served.
This is a significant victory in the fight against organized crime, and it sends a strong message that such activities will not be tolerated. The DGSN and other law enforcement agencies will continue to work tirelessly to ensure that criminals are brought to justice and that the national economy is protected.
It is imperative that we continue to crack down on economic crimes like these to protect our national economy and ensure that justice is served for those who commit such heinous acts.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1AH5mTfMhZ4OhMOZc8q7B2EbaWNYBVLyg/view?pli=1
