What draws the gold mafia to Dubai?
An Al Jazeera investigation shows how criminals use the city’s pro-business policies to smuggle gold, clean dirty cash.

Over the last 20 years, Dubai has become one of the biggest gold-trading hubs in the world. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is the world’s second-biggest importer of gold by volume, behind only India.

Yet, while Dubai’s markets draw millions of tourists from around the world, the city has also emerged as a preferred destination for money launderers and gold smugglers trying to wash their dirty cash, according to the United Nations (PDF), think tanks and non-profits tracking illicit trade.

Gold Mafia – a four-part Al Jazeera investigation into major Southern African smuggling gangs – uncovers the process that allows these groups to abuse Dubai policies, designed to facilitate business, to instead cleanse billions of dollars of tainted gold and cash.

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/4/6/what-draws-the-gold-mafia-to-dubai-dubai