Stopping Conflict and Blood Diamond Smuggling into USA

[Garry H (Cut Nut)]

"Unprecedented" Prosecution for Kimberley Process Fraud

A dealer is facing up to 10 years in prison for attempting to bring diamonds into the USA with bogus Kimberley Process certificates.

Stanley Tipton, 45, from Ohio, admitted violating the Clean Diamond Trade Act in a prosecution that "sets an international precedent," according to the US Attorney's Office.

He told an undercover Homeland Security Investigations (HIS) special agent, posing as a broker, that he could "legitimize" up to 100 carats of smuggled diamonds - by providing what turned out to be fake KPCs (Kimberley Process certificates).


I stopped a similar scenario 15 years ago when an Aussie grain dealer contacted me and said he could arrange for smuggled rough diamonds to be imported via diplomatic bags. The authorities jumped on him!

 

[Akuamoon]

Is there info on retailers who may have these diamonds?

 

[caolsen]

Seriously, people suck sometimes

 

[stonehunter20]

that's terrible! glad it's stopped!

 

[Garry H (Cut Nut)]

Is there info on retailers who may have these diamonds?

Rough Diamonds are sent from mining countries to cutting centers with sealed government and UN authorised systems called the Kimberely Process for the past 18 years.
There will be diamonds smuggled out of the Democratic Republic of Congo that find their way into South Africa or Sierra Leonie etc and get included in 'official' rough parcels.
But the good news there is that at least taxes will be paid to that government.
"Official" diamonds trade at higher prices than smuggled diamonds - and this is so because most of the people in the diamond cutting industry are ethical companies.
Official diamonds make up between 95% and 99% of the market (NGO's suggest the lower number)
But there will always be cheats, sadly.