DAR ES SALAAM, July 8 (Xinhua) -- Tanzanian authorities on Monday reiterated the fight against smuggling of minerals out of the country by dishonest traders.
Stanslaus Nyongo, the east African nation's Deputy Minister for Minerals, said the government was on alert all the time in monitoring smugglers of the country's minerals.
"Anybody found smuggling minerals out of the country will face the full force of the law," he told a workshop that brought together dealers in minerals and jointly organized by the Tanzania Commission for Minerals and Tanzania Trade Development Authority.
"Smugglers of minerals should be treated as economic saboteurs," Nyongo told the one-day workshop held at the 43rd Dar es Salaam International Trade Fair.
He said after the government took stern measures aimed at controlling the mining sector, revenue generated from the sector reached a record 135 million U.S. dollars in 2018-2019 financial year.
The official said the government expected to collect 205 million U.S. dollars from the mining sector in the 2019-2020 financial year.
Nyongo urged businessmen in the minerals sector to sell their gemstones at minerals trading centers built by the government across the country.
In May, the Minister for Minerals, Dotto Biteko, warned smugglers of minerals, saying they will face the full force of the law, including confiscation of their assets.
President John Magufuli ordered the creation of minerals trading centers early this year to curb smuggling of the minerals out of the country.
The mineral trading centers accommodated buyers, miners, government offices, banks and dealers at a one-stop center.
