Dundo - At least 2,477 diamond stones, in the possession of illegal buyers, were seized this Saturday in Cambulo municipality, Lunda Norte province (northeastern Angola), by the Criminal Investigation Service (SIC).
According to a statement from SIC made available to Angop on Sunday, the diamonds were seized as a result of searches of homes, following public tip off, as part of the fight against illicit diamond trafficking, in the framework of "Operation Transparency".
The statement said that 10.9 million kwanzas, USD 35,950, 358 mobile phones of various brands, 20 diamond weighing sieves, two safes, three magnifying glasses, four scales, a counting machine, four tweezers, two multi-axis cards, amongst other items were also seized.
The statement said that since the start of this year, 4,691 diamond stones had been seized in the municipalities of Xá-muteba, Cambulo, Lucapa and Cuango.
Without providing figures, the SIC said in a statement that the presumed perpetrators of the crime had been referred to the Public Prosecutor's Office for due process, while the means were subjected to forensic examinations.
The diamonds will be handed over to the Arrolamento Commission of "Operation Transparency," based in Malanje province
