Italian man caught smuggling gold bars at Schiphol

A 60-year-old Italian man was arrested at Schiphol Airport on suspicion of money laundering after authorities found several gold bars in his luggage. The gold was valued at about 365 thousand euros, the Marechaussee said on Wednesday.

The man could not explain to the authorities how the gold bars ended up in his suitcase and was then arrested.

Customs officials made the discovery last week. The suspect arrived from a location in the Caribbean and had recently made trips to several other countries.

The Marechaussee is a branch of the military that monitors the borders and airports as part of their policing duties. The Marechaussee's criminal investigation team, which focuses on money laundering among other things, is conducting further investigations under the guidance of the Noord-Holland Public Prosecutor's Office.