Headlines:
| Guyanese mining officials seize blood diamonds |
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| Tuesday, 23 October 2007 | |
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Mining officials in Guyana
have seized more than 4,000 karats of smuggled diamonds which they said a
locally-based international firm was attempting to export to Dubai. Noting that the discovery was made after rigorous cross-checking of documents showed irregularities in the paper work, the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) said executives of the company could be charged with breaching laws and regulations governing trade in the precious stones. The Commissioner, William Woolford, disclosed that the company submitted a quantity of diamond for export to his office and on checking they were not satisfied with the paper work, which led to the actual inspection of the stones. He said on checking the diamonds it was revealed that they may not have originated from Guyana but were instead "conflict" or "blood diamonds" - the term given to diamonds originating in specific African war zones where mines controlled by warlords to fund revolutionary efforts through the sale of diamonds on the world market. It is estimated that 10 to 15 per cent of the world's diamond supplies come from states such as Angola, Congo and Sierra Leone. Officials at the company which was identified said they would reserve comment. |