JOHANNESBURG – Rough diamonds and gold worth more than R2-million were confiscated at Beitbridge border post, the South African Revenue Service (Sars) said.
"Vigilant customs officials discovered rough diamonds and gold hidden in a traveller’s belongings at the Beitbridge border post on Wednesday, September 2.
"During an inspection of goods in a truck from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), officials noticed unusual objects in certain of the boxes being transported."
Different types of rough stones were found in a sealed container, including:
• 143.35g of suspected gold,
• 63.54g of suspected black diamonds,
• 67.58g of suspected diamonds,
• 173.10g of suspected uncut industrial diamonds,
• 10.36g of suspected clear uncut diamonds and
• 566.87g of suspected industrial diamonds.
"The estimated value of all suspected diamonds is R2 263 501 and the estimated value of the suspected gold is R17 497," Sars said in a statement.