(IDEX Online) - Almost 500 illegal diamonds have been sold by the government of Lesotho.Its's the first time the landlocked Mountain Kingdom has conducted its own auction, rather than sending rough diamonds to Antwerp.Most of the gems (353) were confiscated by the police from small-scale miners who operate outside the law. The remaining 140 were uncertified stones handed in during a five-month amnesty.The government did not release further details or prices of the diamonds, but it said it would keep revenue from the confiscated gems. Owners who handed in their stones voluntarily would be paid, it said. Buyers came from the Netherlands, Israel and South Africa."We hope this local auctioning will spell the end for illegal diamond dealing as trade will be done securely and legally," said deputy prime minister Deputy PM Mathibeli Mokhothu.Small-scale diamond mining was outlawed in 2004 because of safety concerns and a lack of regulation, although there are reports that the government is now about to permit the resumption of limited artisanal operations.Large-scale mining in the landlocked African nation is dominated by Gem Diamonds' Letseng mine, which boasts the highest value per carat diamonds in the world.Generic pic