Astonished cops have seized a EUR 3.5 million fortune found in a couple’s car during a routine traffic stop in Germany.
Police pulled over the car in Hunderdorf, Bavaria State, Germany, and could not believe their eyes when they discovered the massive haul on Sunday, 29th October.
Prosecutors say they found 50 kilogrammes (110 lbs) of gold bullion worth EUR 3 million (GBP 2.6 million) and wads of banknotes that added up to a further EUR 500,000 (GBP 434,599).
The couple, reportedly a 60-year-old driver and a 42-year-old female passenger, claimed they were driving their Audi more than 1,600 miles to Turkey.
Police confiscated the cash and gold as part of a money laundering and cash trafficking investigation.
The couple were arrested and held while police investigate the fortune.
After the Regensburg public prosecutor issued an arrest warrant against the pair, they were brought before a court and booked on Monday, 30th October.
A spokesperson from the Lower Bavaria Police Headquarters said: “The 60-year-old and his 42-year-old passenger were temporarily arrested and proceedings were initiated on suspicion of money laundering.
“The Lower Bavaria Criminal Police Inspectorate took over the investigation together with the Regensburg public prosecutor’s office.”
They added: “The cash and gold were seized to secure confiscation.
“With the change in criminal law in 2017, law enforcement authorities and courts can more easily confiscate assets with unclear or criminal origins.
“A proof of a specific criminal act is not necessary for this – meaning the person concerned must prove that they acquired the secured assets legally.
“The Lower Bavarian police departments, in collaboration with the judicial authorities, are also increasingly making use of legal options to secure the proceeds of crime.”
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Story By: Georgina Jedikovska, Sub-Editor: Georgina Jedikovska, Agency: Newsflash
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