Three regional officials have reportedly been seized on suspicion of participating in unlawful gold trafficking.
According to the National Intelligence and Security Service, 32 government officials, heads of security groups, and producers who were involved in illegal gold production, marketing, and transfer were apprehended.
In a statement to the media, the National Intelligence and Security Service alleged that the detained individuals were producing gold illegally and that they had harmed national interests by being trafficked, sold on the black market, and developing close ties with foreign nationals.
The 32 people detained include 17 traffickers with varying degrees of involvement in the criminal business, seven producers who were operating illegally while posing as licence holders, eight personnel of the government and security agencies, and seven producers.