Anthony Mavunde, Tanzania’s minister of minerals, has said the government is stepping up efforts to curb mineral smuggling, with authorities seizing minerals worth more than 3.3 billion Tanzanian shillings in recent months.
Presenting the 2026/2027 budget estimates in Parliament in Dodoma on April 27, 2026, Mavunde said the seizures were made between July 2025 and March 2026 through joint operations involving multiple state agencies.
He said a total of 55 incidents were recorded across major mining regions, including Geita, Mwanza, Arusha, Mbeya, and Morogoro.
“The ministry continues to control smuggling activities carried out by dishonest miners and mineral traders,” Mavunde said. “Through cooperation with other government authorities, we have seized various minerals worth over 3.3 billion shillings.”
He added that all confiscated minerals were nationalized, while suspects were taken to court in line with the law.
Mavunde also pointed to growth in the formal mineral trading system, saying the number of official mineral markets and buying centers has increased.
According to the ministry, the number of mineral markets rose from 43 to 44, while buying centers increased from 114 to 118 between the 2024/2025 and 2025/2026 financial years.
Through these centers, mineral trade reached more than 4.9 trillion Tanzanian shillings by March 2026, up from about 2.8 trillion shillings recorded during the same period in the previous financial year.
The government has in recent years focused on strengthening oversight in the mining sector, aiming to reduce illegal trade and increase official revenue collection.
Mavunde urged miners and traders to comply with national laws, warning that enforcement operations will continue across the country’s key mining zones.
