Security officers at Bipemba Airport in Mbujimayi, Democratic Republic of Congo, seized 13 kilograms of diamonds on November 11, 2025, after discovering the cargo had not been declared for transport to Kinshasa.

Provincial anti-fraud services and the Provincial Mining Division said the stones were not listed on any official paperwork and had not been reported to the authorities, in breach of national traceability rules.

The diamonds were brought to interim provincial governor Daniel Kazadi Cilumbayi, who called a security meeting with all agencies active at the airport, including the police, the National Intelligence Agency, the Mining Division, and anti-fraud units. The meeting focused on determining how the attempted smuggling occurred and improving coordination among security services.

Kazadi praised the officers involved and said the provincial government remained committed to tackling mineral trafficking. “There will be no tolerance for such practices. The law must be strictly applied,” he said, adding that smuggling undermines supply-chain transparency and deprives the province of revenue.

The governor instructed security and mining authorities to strengthen checks at all exit points in the province and urged closer cooperation among the institutions responsible for anti-fraud work.

The seized diamonds were transferred to the Centre for Expertise, Evaluation and Certification (CEEC) and the Provincial Mining Division for technical analysis and valuation, the governor’s office said. With no claimant for the cargo, an investigation has been opened to identify those responsible.

Ronsard Luabeya