Colombia’s defence minister Pedro Sánchez asked the Trump administration to sanction the illegal gold sector that funds the Clan del Golfo cartel. The request came after the U.S. Treasury learned its own U.S. Mint had been purchasing gold traced to cartel‑controlled mines. With gold trading near $5,000 an ounce, the illicit supply chain proved highly profitable for global markets and investors.

U.S. law restricts the Mint to domestic metal, yet investigations revealed purchases from Colombian mines used in circulating Liberty coins. Treasury officials declined comment on Sánchez’s sanction plea, while the Colombian military recently destroyed equipment at sites generating roughly $4.7 million of gold per month. A helicopter flyover showed sprawling open‑pit pits even encroaching on a battalion base in the region.

Senators Ron Wyden and Elizabeth Warren have pressed Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent for a supply‑chain audit, fearing further contamination of the U.S. reserves. The episode exposes a gap between official anti‑money‑laundering rhetoric and actual procurement practices, raising questions for investors in precious‑metal funds and for refiners reliant on government contracts. The Mint now faces heightened scrutiny in future operations today.