Zambian customs officials announced on Saturday that they had apprehended an Indian citizen attempting to transport over $2 million in cash along with gold valued at $500,000 through the country’s primary airport.
The 27-year-old was en route to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates when a multi-agency team at Kenneth Kaunda International Airport intercepted him, according to the Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC).
He was caught with $2,320,000 in cash and seven items suspected to be gold worth $500,000, as stated by the agency in a release.
Photos released by Zambian media displayed bundles of $100 bills secured with rubber bands. The cash was stored in a black bag, which was then placed inside a larger polypropylene suitcase.
“Investigations into this incident are ongoing,” DEC remarked, cautioning “those engaged in trans-national organised crimes that the long arm of the law will eventually catch them.”
The southern African nation is rich in mineral resources, including copper and gold. However, its economy is struggling, with more than 60 per cent of the population living in poverty, according to the World Bank.
In 2023, five Egyptians were taken into custody in Zambia after a plane was found carrying firearms, 127 kilograms (280 pounds) of gold, and $5.7 million in cash. They were released after the prosecutors dismissed charges of espionage against them.
