Mozambique’s Financial Information Office (GIFiM) has revealed that the crimes of kidnapping that have plagued the country have resulted in the movement of more than 2.1 billion meticals (33 million dollars) since 2014, as part of money laundering practices, as reported by Lusa.
The Strategic Analysis Report (RAE), drawn up by GIFiM, covers the period from January 2014 to May 2024, analysing money laundering resulting from kidnappings and abductions. The document, which includes data from the Ministry of Economy and Finance, reveals that illicit funds were introduced into the financial system through split cash deposits.

The payments were concealed in accounts controlled by the suspects, their family members or associated companies, before being illegally exported to hide the criminal origin. This practice involves nationals and naturalised foreigners and is part of the so-called ‘kidnap industry’.
As of March this year, the police have recorded 185 cases of kidnapping, with the arrest of 288 suspects since 2011, according to Interior Minister Pascoal Ronda. The illicit export of capital takes place under various pretexts, using money laundering through front companies in high-risk locations such as Maputo city and the provinces of Manica, Sofala and Nampula, as well as in South Africa.
The report points to the possible involvement of lawyers, bank employees and members of the Defence and Security Forces. The suspects use family and company accounts to conceal the funds obtained through extortion and ransom.
‘GIFiM has identified more than 2.1 billion meticals suspected of being laundered, with previous offences such as kidnapping, extortion, private imprisonment, among others’
The document also highlights the creation of several fictitious companies to hide financial transactions. GIFiM has identified more than 2.1 billion meticals suspected of being laundered, with antecedent crimes such as kidnapping, extortion, private imprisonment, among others.
The latest kidnapping took place on Monday (22) and marked the second such incident in less than three days. This kidnapping followed a similar one on Saturday night (20), when three armed men broke into a liquor shop.
Over the last ten years, Mozambique has faced an escalation in transnational crimes, such as kidnappings, drug trafficking and money laundering. The recent series of incidents underlines the urgent need to strengthen strategies to combat crime and guarantee the safety of citizens and businesspeople in the region. According to the information, the report also warns of the risk of this industry evolving to include foreign hostages, thus increasing the amounts involved in extortion.