2021 Swissaid report identifies South Africa as a major hub for $35bn/year illicit African gold exports, including Zimbabwe in top 5 smugglers to the UAE.

Swissaid report reveals South Africa as a major transit hub for illegal gold exports from Africa, with $35 billion (R657 billion) worth of gold smuggled out each year. The report, titled "On the Trail of African Gold: Quantifying Production and Trade to Combat Illicit Flows," also shows that Zimbabwe ranks among the top five African countries involved in gold smuggling to the United Arab Emirates.