Lusaka, Tuesday — The Zambia Police Service has arrested businessman Shadreck Kasanda in connection with a new investigation into suspected illegal gold trading. The detention forms part of ongoing operations to disrupt unlicensed mineral transactions and strengthen oversight in the extractive sector.
In a statement issued in Lusaka yesterday, the Police said Kasanda, 38, was apprehended after a coordinated operation involving several law-enforcement agencies. “The suspect is in custody as investigations continue. Once the case file is completed, he will appear before the appropriate court,” the statement read.
Initial findings show that investigators acted on intelligence linking Kasanda to the handling and sale of gold believed to have been sourced outside approved channels. Officers conducted searches at several premises in Lusaka associated with his business interests and recovered sealed parcels suspected to contain raw gold as well as documents now under review for possible use in undeclared exports.
A source within the Police told Lusaka Times that laboratory testing is under way to verify the origin and purity of the seized material. “This arrest forms part of a wider operation to uncover illicit mineral movements and trace the proceeds from such activities,” the source said.
The investigation is being jointly undertaken by the Zambia Police Service, the Drug Enforcement Commission, and the Anti-Corruption Commission, with technical support from the Financial Intelligence Centre. The task force is focusing on networks believed to have facilitated illegal transfers of gold between Lusaka, the Copperbelt, and North-Western provinces.
Kasanda, who has faced similar charges before, maintains that his businesses operate within the law. His lawyers insist he is a legitimate entrepreneur involved in mineral logistics and processing. Investigators say records retrieved from his offices show inconsistencies between declared operations and actual transactions.
An official close to the inter-agency mining audit said the operation demonstrates government’s determination to curb revenue losses from smuggling and under-declaration. “We are pursuing individuals and companies that have taken advantage of regulatory gaps. No one is above the law,” the official said.
Kasanda was previously linked to the 2023 private-jet case involving suspected mineral smuggling. Although that matter was later closed, his name has continued to feature in subsequent investigations. Authorities say the current detention stems from fresh evidence gathered during the review of mineral export licences launched this year.
By Tuesday morning, Kasanda remained in custody at Woodlands Police Station as investigations continued. He is expected to be charged under the Mines and Minerals Development Act and the Prohibition and Prevention of Money Laundering Act once investigations are complete.
The Police say the arrest is part of a broader drive to bring discipline and accountability to the gold trade. “The instruction is clear: clean up the sector and protect national resources,” a senior officer stated. “Those who break the law will face prosecution.”
The Ministry of Mines and Minerals Development has confirmed that the ongoing licence audit covers three years of records, including physical verification of declared outputs against export and tax submissions. Officials say the exercise is intended to restore transparency in the mineral value chain and support revenue collection.
Government sources say further arrests may follow as investigators trace financial flows linked to unregulated gold trading. Police intend to submit the final report to the Economic and Financial Crimes Court once the probe is complete.
I think the man is too ambitious, a rare trait in most of us. Just give him the platform to utilize his connections legally especially in this sector.
You are right