Police Seize Gold worth nearly $1.25mln from Smuggler

ADDIS ABABA – The Ethiopian Federal Police have arrested a man for allegedly trying to smuggle at least 16 kilograms of gold bars out of the country.

The gold bars with an estimated value of 64 million Birr (nearly 1.25 million U.S. dollars) were intercepted on Sunday afternoon.

In a statement today, the Police said the smuggler who was driving a Toyota Pickup landcruiser stormed past a custom checkpoint at Negele Borena town despite request to stop.

The police tracked the car and later apprehended both smuggler and the car around Dolo Ber locality with support of Oromia region militia.

A total of 16 kilogram gold bars were found during a search into the car, revealed the police who valued their total value at 64 million birr.

Further investigation into the smuggling case is currently ongoing, said police, after putting the driver of the vehicle under custody.