Angola: $1.4 billion in Rough Diamonds Smuggled Out

Angola has lost out on at least $1.4 billion worth of rough diamonds smuggled out of the country in the past four years, says a local paper today. Battling diamond smuggling has been a major issue for the African country in the past year.

Angola’s state-run newspaper Jornal de Angola said today (Wednesday) “This corresponds to $350 million per year of diamonds, illegally extracted mainly by foreign citizens”.

Thousands of illegal diggers from neighboring countries have been expelled in recent months, in some cases amid international criticism of forceful expulsions.