Dubai can’t shake off the stain of smuggled African gold

The bulk of Africa’s illegally mined gold is channeled to Dubai through refineries in countries such as Uganda and Rwanda, or is flown there directly in hand luggage.

In the moon-like landscape of northern Sudan, informal goldminers toil with spades and pickaxes to extract their prize from shallow pits that pockmark the terrain.

Mining ore in the sweltering heat of the Nubian desert is the first stage of an illicit network that has exploded in the past 18 months following a pandemic-induced spike in the gold price. African governments desperate to recoup lost revenue are looking to Dubai to help stop the trade.