The authorities in Zambia have announced the seizure of a private plane carrying $5.6 million in cash, 602 pieces of gold weighing 127.2 kilograms and 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.
The chartered aircraft, which flew from Cairo, Egypt, carrying “dangerous goods,” landed at the Kenneth Kaunda International Airport in the capital Lusaka at around 19:00 local time on Monday, the head of Drug Enforcement Commission told reporters on Tuesday.
"Acting on this information, we together with officers from various law enforcement agencies conducted an operation which resulted in the seizure,” Director General Nason 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.
