RORAIMA, BRAZIL - The Federal Highway Police (PRF) seized 103 kilograms of gold bars on Monday (4) during a roadside inspection of a pickup truck in Boa Vista, the capital of Roraima state in northern Brazil.
The gold was found hidden in a concealed compartment of the vehicle.
The material is valued at over US$11 million at current market prices.
A 30-year-old man driving the vehicle was arrested. His wife and their 9-month-old baby were also in the car at the time of the stop.
Police officers became suspicious after noticing inconsistencies in the driver’s documents and decided to conduct a more thorough search, which led to the discovery of the gold bars.
According to the PRF, the man works in the construction sector, specifically in "large-scale projects."
The seized gold was handed over to the Federal Police for further investigation.
The pickup truck was not registered in the name of the detained driver. Authorities have not disclosed the ownership of the vehicle.
Investigators suspect the gold may have been destined for Venezuela or Guyana, both of which share borders with Roraima state.

Source: amazonagency.news