--- title: "UAE Emerges as Major Hub for Smuggled Gold Despite Regulations" url: https://newscentral.site/uae-emerges-as-major-hub-for-smuggled-gold-despite-regulations/ language: en publisher: "News Central Site" section: "World" published: 2026-11-13T19:41:31.000Z updated: 2026-11-14T09:38:07.458Z id: 195109f1-d568-4ba2-9eac-5aa32196a091 source: "ABC News International https://abcnews.com/International/wireStory/gold-smuggled-war-zones-entered-uae-despite-new-138117227" attribution: "Link to https://newscentral.site/uae-emerges-as-major-hub-for-smuggled-gold-despite-regulations/ and name News Central Site when you quote or summarize this story." --- # UAE Emerges as Major Hub for Smuggled Gold Despite Regulations A report has found that the United Arab Emirates imported at least 591 tons of illicit gold in 2024, valued at $74 billion. The United Arab Emirates has emerged as a major hub for gold smuggled from conflict zones despite new regulations aimed at curbing the illicit trade. Cairo-based aid and development groups have highlighted lax enforcement of rules in the UAE, where many gold refiners and traders are allegedly failing to comply with guidelines introduced by the government. The move to regulate the gold trade was prompted by international pressure after a global anti-money laundering body raised concerns about the UAE's failure to prevent criminals and militants from concealing wealth there. The UAE has been identified as a key destination for smuggled gold, with the precious metal continuing to flow into the country from war-torn regions such as Russia, Yemen, and Sudan. The report's findings are particularly striking given that the UAE was the second-largest gold exporter worldwide in 2024, just one year after the new regulations took effect. The introduction of guidelines aimed at promoting responsible sourcing and vetting supply chains had been seen as a significant step towards addressing concerns about money laundering in the UAE. However, it appears that the measures have not been sufficient to stem the flow of smuggled gold into the country. The UAE's imports of illicit gold have continued unabated despite new regulations aimed at stemming the flow of smuggled precious metals into the country. According to a report, the UAE imported at least 591 tons of illicit gold in 2024, valued at $74 billion. A significant portion of this gold was linked to armed conflicts in Africa and countries subject to international sanctions. The report found that gold mined and smuggled out of African countries accounted for nearly half of the UAE's total imports from the continent in 2024. Some of this gold entered the country officially, but through third-party trade routes. The report highlights the UAE as a major destination for gold exports from sanctioned countries, with many of these shipments passing through Dubai refineries. In fact, most of the smuggled gold in 2024 reached these refineries from African gold-producing countries, including Guinea, Mali, and Sudan. Sudan, which faces international sanctions, was found to be a significant source of smuggled gold, with nearly 29 tons originating from the country in 2024. The report's findings were based on data from various sources, including the U.N., official trade statistics, and civil and international organizations. The authors of the report note that while their analysis is based on 2024 data, partial recent information suggests that the trend of gold smuggling into the UAE continues to rise in 2025. The illicit gold trade has been a driving force behind Sudan's ongoing conflict, fueling the war between the country's military and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). Since hostilities began in 2023, massive quantities of gold have been smuggled out of Sudan to finance the RSF, which controls key gold-producing areas in Darfur and Kordofan regions. U.N. experts have documented atrocities committed by the RSF, including mass killings, sexual violence, and widespread destruction in northern Darfur. This "campaign of destruction" bears the hallmarks of genocide, a characterization that underscores the gravity of the situation. Swissaid's analysis reveals that gold imports from the UAE increased dramatically between 2024 and 2025, with the amount more than doubling from 155 tons to 420 tons. The report highlights concerns about sourcing gold from the UAE, where risks are already elevated due to international sanctions. The significant increase in gold imports from the UAE suggests that despite new regulations aimed at stopping conflict gold from entering global markets, illicit trade continues unabated. A report has raised concerns that gold smuggled from war zones is still entering the UAE despite new regulations aimed at stopping conflict gold from reaching global markets. The authors of the report have called for the UAE to be reinstated on the gray list of the Paris-based Financial Action Task Force, which monitors money laundering and terrorist financing. This would require increased scrutiny of financial transactions involving the UAE, a step up from its current status as a non-listed country. The FATF placed the UAE on this list in 2022 before removing it two years later following the implementation of new gold supply chain regulations. --- Source: [ABC News International](https://abcnews.com/International/wireStory/gold-smuggled-war-zones-entered-uae-despite-new-138117227) Published by News Central Site: https://newscentral.site/uae-emerges-as-major-hub-for-smuggled-gold-despite-regulations/