AML, KYC & responsible sourcing
How we keep every transaction lawful, documented and conflict-free — and what we ask of buyers. We would rather lose a deal than cut a corner.
Know Your Customer (KYC) — both ways
For significant orders we verify the buyer — company registration, beneficial owner and signatory ID — and screen the parties involved. You verify us in return: our published licences, our registration numbers and a live video call from the site. Trust runs both directions.
Anti-money-laundering (AML / CFT) & source of funds
We apply anti-money-laundering and counter-terrorist-financing checks, verify the source of funds, and decline anonymous or untraceable payments. Settlement is by bank wire to COOP-CA ARTEL N°1's corporate account at CDC BOMTOCK S.A, or staged escrow — never a personal account, and no cash-equivalent or crypto-only settlement on significant orders.
Sanctions & PEP screening
Counterparties are screened against international sanctions lists (UN, EU, OFAC) and for politically exposed persons. We will not transact with sanctioned or listed parties, and we may pause any order pending checks.
Regulatory framework & risk-based checks
We operate under Cameroon's AML/CFT regime — the CEMAC anti-money-laundering regulation, supervised by GABAC — alongside FATF standards and the OECD Due Diligence Guidance. Due diligence scales with risk: enhanced checks (deeper source-of-funds and senior sign-off) apply to politically exposed persons, high-value orders and higher-risk jurisdictions.
Responsible sourcing — the OECD five steps
We apply the OECD Due Diligence Guidance for responsible mineral supply chains across its five steps: management systems, risk identification and assessment, a risk-mitigation strategy, support for independent verification, and record-keeping for reporting. No conflict gold, ever.
Chain of custody & documentation
Each lot carries a documented chain of custody from pit to dispatch. A declared export is accompanied by the MINMIDT expertise report and certificate of authenticity, the export authorisation, a certificate of origin and assay certificate, the 5% ad valorem tax assessment (Art. 175, Mining Code) with its payment receipt, and a commercial invoice with packing list — and, for diamonds, a Kimberley Process certificate.
Declared, lawful export
Production is declared and exported under a MINMIDT export permit through the official national channel. Gold ships as ~923 doré and is refined to 999.9 by accredited refineries abroad — there is no commercial gold refinery in Cameroon. We never facilitate undeclared or smuggled movement.
Diamonds — Kimberley Process
Rough diamonds move under the Kimberley Process certification scheme, and every stone is verified with the buyer in person before any payment.
Records, reporting & data protection
Transaction and due-diligence records are retained for at least 10 years and made available for a buyer's or their bank's independent review. Suspicious activity is reported to ANIF, Cameroon's Financial Intelligence Unit. Identity documents you provide are used only for compliance and protected under data-protection principles; our own beneficial owners and compliance contact are disclosed to a buyer's bank on request. We welcome audit and verification — it is how trust is earned in this trade.
No advance fees — and why it matters
We never ask for advance “fees”, “taxes”, “clearance” or “unlocking” payments. Those are the signature of fraud, not real costs. Price, assay and terms are agreed in writing before anything moves.
What we'll ask a buyer for
- Company registration / trade licence (for business buyers)
- Government ID of the signatory and beneficial owner
- Proof of funds or bank reference for significant orders
- Delivery destination and your customs/import details
This is a summary of our policy, not legal advice. Full due-diligence procedures are shared during onboarding and adapt to order size and destination.