MADAGASCAR · GOLD SMUGGLING
Key Facts
- —What is happening Madagascar’s Prime Minister, Mamitiana Rajaonarison, vowed on Thursday, 22 October, to dismantle gold smuggling networks at airports after a woman was stopped at Ivato with 2.85 kilograms of gold hidden in her body.
- —Why it matters Illegal gold exports drain public money, and the president says about 100 tonnes leave each year, a figure with no audit cited, so this arrest tests his anti-corruption drive.
- —The numbers The woman carried 2.85 kilograms (about 6.3 pounds) of gold, and in September five customs officers and one airport security agent were arrested over another suspected gold export.
- —Who is who Mamitiana Rajaonarison is Prime Minister under Colonel Michaël Randrianirina, who heads the Refondation government; Ivato is the international airport serving the capital, Antananarivo.
- —What to watch Whether the woman is charged, whether airport staff are arrested, and how customs inspectors’ objections to public corruption accusations shape the crackdown; no court date has been announced.
- —What it means for you Travellers leaving Antananarivo may see tighter airport checks, and the US State Department has rated Madagascar Level 2, exercise increased caution, since December 2025.
Madagascar’s government says it will break up gold smuggling rings at its airports. The vow followed the arrest of a woman with 2.85 kilograms of gold hidden in her body.
Madagascar’s Prime Minister, Mamitiana Rajaonarison, has promised to break up gold smuggling networks at the country’s airports. The pledge followed an arrest at Ivato airport, near the capital Antananarivo, on Thursday, 22 October.
A woman was stopped with 2.85 kilograms (about 6.3 pounds) of gold hidden in her body, L’Express de Madagascar reported. The case matters because the country’s president says large amounts of gold leave the island illegally.
In Plain English
- Ivato: the international airport that serves Antananarivo, Madagascar’s capital.
- Prime Minister Mamitiana Rajaonarison: head of the government, who reports to the president.
- Colonel Michaël Randrianirina: holds the title President of the Refondation of the Republic and leads the government.
- Customs inspectors’ union: a staff union, the SIDM, which says it does not speak on behalf of the customs administration.
What Happened at Ivato Airport
L’Express de Madagascar, a Malagasy daily, says the woman is a Chinese national who tried to board a flight at Ivato. It says she was arrested on Thursday evening, 22 October.
Newsmada, another Malagasy daily, says the attempt was foiled on the afternoon of the same day. It says a body scanner exposed the metal she was hiding inside her body.
Newsmada adds that the woman is now under investigation by the competent authorities. Neither outlet names her, gives her flight or destination, or says which agency arrested her.
What the Prime Minister Said
Rajaonarison learned of the arrest as he arrived at Ivato from Ambovombe, a town in the south, L’Express reported. He had been there for the opening of new drinking water works.
Newsmada says the president opened those works with the Prime Minister and other ministers. The works serve 33,500 residents and cost 17.6 billion ariary (about US$3.8 million at 4,583 ariary per US$).
At Ivato, the Prime Minister called for gold and other mineral smuggling networks at airports to be dismantled, whoever is involved. L’Express says he promised that no leniency would be shown.
“This will go on here if we do not take action,” he said. He added that the government would not treat the case lightly, whoever is behind it.
He told inspectors and investigators to keep working without hesitation, L’Express reported. He promised them protection, saying “do not be afraid, you will be protected,” and urged checks and arrests where needed.
He reminded officials that illegal mineral exports are tied to corruption and to the complicity such operations can draw in. Newsmada says the Mines Minister also went to Ivato and that both gave firm instructions to the agents on site.
Why the President’s Warning Came First
The arrest came two days after Colonel Randrianirina visited Ivato on Tuesday, 20 October, L’Express says. Newsmada reported that he ordered the teams at the airport, especially customs and border police, to be renewed.
Some agents may be moved to regions without international airports, Newsmada wrote. The president also asked for a review of the work of the national anti-corruption bureau at the airport.
He said about 100 tonnes of gold leave Madagascar illegally each year, a claim Newsmada presented as his own. The sources reviewed show no audit or official statistic behind that figure.
L’Express recalls that in September five customs officers and one airport security agent were arrested over a suspected illegal gold export. It says the Prime Minister added that investigations into recent gold cases are continuing.
The Rio Times covered the president’s Ivato visit on 21 October. A background explainer is also available in Madagascar Explained.
Customs Inspectors Push Back
On Friday, 23 October, a customs inspectors’ union held a press conference, Midi Madagasikara reported on Saturday. The union, the Syndicat des Inspecteurs des Douanes de Madagascar, said it does not speak on behalf of the customs administration.
It criticised corruption accusations made in public before the facts were established, saying they damage the customs service’s image. It also asked whether legal procedures were followed in some recent cases.
The union said it does not oppose investigations or justified sanctions. In its words, individual conduct must be distinguished from the way a whole administration works.
Midi’s own commentary, not the union’s, questions whether presidency staff working at the airport are qualified for border control. The report does not mention the 22 October arrest or gold.
What It Means for US Readers
None of the reports says the gold was bound for the United States, and no US agency is quoted. The case is mainly a test of how seriously Madagascar polices an export route that its Prime Minister links to corruption.
For companies that buy gold or finance gold supply chains, it is a reminder to check where metal comes from. Madagascar’s government is now publicly promising stricter checks at its main airport.
The State Department rates Madagascar Level 2, exercise increased caution, in an advisory dated December 2025. It cites violent crime, strikes and protests, and very limited medical care, and the reports reviewed show no change after this arrest.
What Is Not Known
The weight differs between reports: one Newsmada headline says 2 kilograms, while L’Express and a Newsmada editorial say 2.85 kilograms. The woman’s name, flight, destination and charges have not been published.
The outlets differ on whether the arrest came on Thursday afternoon or evening, and neither says which agency made it. Both agree it happened on Thursday, 22 October.
No official statement on the Prime Minister’s remarks was found. His office’s website showed no item after 21 October on Saturday morning, so the quotes rest on L’Express and Newsmada.
The sources do not say whether the woman is linked to the September arrests. They also do not say whether the union’s statement concerns this case.
What Comes Next
Prosecutors must decide whether to charge the woman, and the investigations into the September case continue. No court date has been announced.
The government has promised protection to agents who carry out checks and make arrests. Reports of agents moved or charged would be the next verifiable steps.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened at Ivato airport on 22 October?
A woman reported as a Chinese national was stopped trying to board a flight with 2.85 kilograms of gold. The Prime Minister went to the airport and promised to dismantle smuggling networks.
Who is Madagascar’s Prime Minister?
Mamitiana Rajaonarison heads the government under Colonel Michaël Randrianirina, who holds the title President of the Refondation of the Republic. He went to Ivato from the southern town of Ambovombe after the arrest.
How much gold leaves Madagascar illegally?
Nobody knows exactly. The president said about 100 tonnes a year, but the sources reviewed show no audit behind that figure.
Is it safe for US travellers to fly out of Madagascar?
The State Department rates Madagascar Level 2, exercise increased caution, in an advisory dated December 2025. The reports reviewed show no change after the arrest.
Why are customs inspectors objecting?
Their union says corruption accusations were made in public before the facts were established. It says it does not oppose investigations or justified sanctions.
Sources: L'Express de Madagascar, 24 October; Newsmada, 23 October; Newsmada editorial, 23 October; Newsmada, Ambovombe water works, 23 October; Newsmada, 21 October; Midi Madagasikara, 24 October; Prime Minister's office website, Madagascar; US State Department, Madagascar advisory; open.er-api.com exchange rates, 24 October 2026 (all accessed 24 October 2026). Conversion: 4,582.87 ariary per US$, 24 October 2026, 00:02 UTC. Related: Madagascar Airport Corruption Hits 3 Agents Moved.
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief
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