Two foreign nationals have been arrested for allegedly trying to smuggle gold they obtained in Kapoeta, an official has said.

The two men, who are of Somali origin, were caught in possession of gold which authorities believe they bought from unauthorized people.

According to the state laws, only the Investment Cooperation has the authority to buy gold from local miners and then sell it to traders and investors.

“They are buying Gold from the local people secretly,” said Martin Lorei, Chairperson of the Investment Corporation.

He said the unnamed suspects bought the gold at a higher price than the average to attract the local miners instead of selling it to the investment authority.

Mr. Martin did not specify the quantity of the gold that was being smuggled.

The men will be arraigned in a court of law soon. If they are found guilty, they will be sentenced to “3 year jail-term and a fine of 10,000 pounds each”.

Gold is a major mineral in the Kapoeta region, mostly pound in the seasonal Singaita River. Local people freely mine and sell it to authorities.