A few weeks later in Pretoria, South Africa, Antonino sits at a bargaining table with six other people. They are discussing a contract that will give rise to a new venture in the diamond trade, an agreement called the “Zimbabwe Diamond Opportunity.” The deal is between Zimgroup, a gang of Zimbabwean businessmen in charge of acquiring and cutting rough diamonds in Zimbabwe, and Ingroup, a party of international investors providing capital and marketing skills.
After the UN’s ‘Kimberley Process’ resolution was enacted in 2003, to stem the flow of conflict diamonds into legitimate markets, Zimbabwe ruled that rough diamonds could only be cut and polished locally, not exported. This rule applies not only to companies owning concessions, but also to traders. Rough diamonds, mined or bought, cannot leave Zimbabwe.
For this reason, Zimgroup has already secured the rights to open a new cutting works in Zimbabwe, and brings to the table a lucrative government contract allowing them to process 30000 carats of uncut diamonds per month. For its part, Ingroup provides not only the start-up capital, but a new Maltese company ready to market the diamonds to wealthy European customers hungry for precious stones.
But that is not all. Behind Ingroup’s sleek businessmen stands some mighty capital - the Italian mafia’s.
