Gold rush at the airport: 11 kg of fine gold discovered in the cooking pot!

Gold rush at the airport: 11 kg of fine gold discovered in the cooking pot!

An extraordinary find at Frankfurt Airport is currently causing a stir. In an inspection that took place from June 16 to 18, customs officials discovered a large amount of crystal meth in a construction machine that came from Mexico and was intended for the production of paving stones. Weighing 160 kg, this is the largest seizure of crystal meth in air traffic in Germany, as FNP reports. This operation was part of an effort to combat international money laundering, using 65 customs officers and two specially trained cash detection dogs.

A total of 6,868 individual checks were carried out on people and their luggage as part of the priority check. 28 travelers either did not report their cash or only reported it incompletely. Five cases involving evidence of money laundering were registered, with more than €1.12 million in cash, including cash and gold bars, seized. These measures are an important part of customs surveillance in order to combat cross-border organized crime in the international community.

Gold in the cooking pot

A particularly bizarre aspect of these checks was the discovery of 11 kg of fine gold bars worth over one million euros, which were hidden in a woman's cooking pot on the way to Thailand. These gold bars were not properly registered and there was no evidence of legal origin. This raises questions about the proper reporting of cash, as travelers are required to declare their funds in writing to customs for amounts of 10,000 euros or more. Violations can be punished with fines of up to one million euros.

The arrest of four suspected backers in the Netherlands following this revelation shows how internationally connected the risk of illegal business is. The customs investigation service investigates in cooperation with the Frankfurt am Main public prosecutor's office as well as Belgian and Dutch law enforcement authorities in order to dismantle such criminal networks.

Statistics and background

Customs investigations show that drug discoveries at Frankfurt Airport are not uncommon. In 2024, a total of over 8.8 tons of drugs, including 113 kg of crystal meth and 4.4 tons of cocaine, were seized. The fight against organized crime, drug trafficking and the detection of money laundering are topics of exceptional importance, as they not only threaten the internal security of a state, but also endanger the stability of international structures, as the Foreign Office explains.

The Frankfurt am Main customs investigation office has presented a comprehensive annual report. 3,360 new investigations were initiated against 3,551 suspects, including 2,621 due to violations of the Narcotics Act. By searching innovative hiding methods, such as in machine parts or through camouflage cargo in postal traffic, the customs authorities are still required to find new ways of prevention and detection.

While continued support of international organizations to combat crime and money laundering is Germany's top priority, it remains to be seen how effective these measures will be in the long term. One thing is clear: the fight against organized crime is far from over.