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German loses 13 kg of gold trying to leave Russia in camper van

27.04.2026 00:38 1 min 2 sources
merkur.de DEU + 1 more
German loses 13 kg of gold trying to leave Russia in camper van
© t-online

Russian customs seized 13 kg of gold from a German citizen trying to export bullion and coins at the Estonian border. The haul is worth €1.6 million. The criminal case was dropped after he paid duties and a fine.

In August 2024 at the Shumilkino checkpoint on the Russian-Estonian border, customs officers using an X-ray scanner found 12 gold bars and 477 coins (total weight 13 kg) hidden in a motorhome driven by a 58-year-old German man. According to sources, exporting the gold violated EU sanctions, so the cargo was confiscated. The seized precious metal is valued at €1.6 million.

As part of a plea deal, the criminal case against the man was dropped. However, he lost all the gold and paid about €100,000 in customs duties and a €3,000 fine. The circumstances under which the German intended to export such a large quantity of precious metal have not been disclosed.

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Story sources

Gold Confiscation at Russian Border

14.04.2026 merkur.de DEU

Kilos of Gold in Motorhome: German Loses Everything to Russia

12.04.2026 t-online DEU

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