Zambia seizes plane with $5.6M cash, 127.2 kg gold, weapons

By James Kunda

LUSAKA, Zambia (AA) – Authorities in Zambia on Tuesday announced the seizure of a private plane carrying $5.6 million in cash, 602 pieces of gold, and five pistols with 126 rounds of ammunition.

Ten people, including a Zambian, six Egyptians, a Dutch, a Spaniard, and a Latvian, have since been detained by the commission for further investigations.

Addressing reporters in the capital Lusaka, Drug Enforcement Commission’s Director General Nason Banda said the chartered aircraft, which flew from Cairo, Egypt, carrying “dangerous goods,” landed at the Kenneth Kaunda International Airport in the capital Lusaka at around 7 p.m. local time on Monday.

"Acting on this information, we together with officers from various law enforcement agencies conducted an operation which resulted in the seizure of $5.7 million, five pistols, seven magazines (for ammunition loading), 126 rounds of ammunition, 602 pieces of gold weighing 127.2 kilograms (280 pounds) and gold measuring equipment,” Banda explained.

He said the plane on which the items were found and another aircraft belonging to a local airline had been seized.

Banda said the money had been placed in the safe custody of the Bank of Zambia as investigations into the matter continued.