The four arrested are senior Malian employees of Barrick Gold, the world’s second-largest gold miner and one of Mali’s top gold producers, according to Western media citing multiple unanimous sources.

The arrests, which reportedly took place on Wednesday, come amidst a broader shift in Mali’s mining policy, aimed at increasing state control over gold revenue.

A government official confirmed the arrests, while a second source within the Malian mining sector identified the detainees as senior Barrick employees.

Neither Barrick Gold nor the Malian authorities have made any official statements regarding the situation.