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Two Lebanese citizens were nabbed in Surat, the centre of India’s diamond polishing industry, in the Western state of Gujarat as they tried to sell a consignment of rough diamonds that did not have the required Kimberley Process certificates or other legal documentation. At the time of their arrest, Yusuf Oselli and Robar Hussain were found to be in possession of 3,600 carats of rough diamonds estimated to be worth USD $ 850,000, the media reported.
They claimed that they brought the rough from Zimbabwe and flew into India via Dubai, thereby successfully evading detection by customs officials. It was the first trip for one, the other is believed to have made four trips to Surat in earlier months. The Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC) is co-operating closely with the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), a government investigative agency that is probing the case. “We are keen to plug any loopholes and ensure that rough diamonds enter the country only through legal channels with proper KP certification,” asserted Sanjay A. Kothari, Chairman, GJEPC. “We are in touch with the authorities and are assisting in their investigation, including helping them assess the value and origin of the diamonds,” he added.