A private jet linked to a significant fake gold smuggling operation belongs to the influential Egyptian businessman Ibrahim Al Organi, as reported by Sky News. In August, Zambian authorities raided the aircraft after it arrived from Cairo, covering over 3,000 miles.
Acting on intelligence, Zambia’s Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) discovered $5.7 million in cash, five firearms, and 127 kg of material that was initially believed to be gold. However, subsequent testing revealed that the gold-like pieces were primarily composed of copper and zinc.
“This has been a clear case of scamming—gold scamming,” stated DEC director Nason Banda during a press conference following the operation. The authorities seized the jet and detained ten individuals onboard, including six Egyptian nationals. For nearly a year, the ownership of the aircraft remained unknown.
Documents obtained by Sky News, in collaboration with the Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP), confirm that the plane is owned by Ibrahim Al Organi. In an affidavit submitted to Zambia’s High Court in December, Al Organi identified himself as the owner of the jet.