South Africa catches a trio with 74 kilograms of gold in their carry-on luggage

Photographer: Chris Ratcliffe / Bloomberg

South African authorities arrested three suspected smugglers after finding 73.5 kilograms (162 pounds) of gold bars worth about 66 million rand (4.5 million US dollars) in their carry-on luggage.

The trio were detained at OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg last week after a security scanner “identified irregular images,” the South African Police Service said in a statement on Monday. The men were heading from Madagascar to Dubai via Ethiopia, he said.

The suspects will appear in Kempton Park Magistrates Court on charges of trafficking in precious metals and violation of Customs Law, police said.

Investigations are underway, with the assistance of Interpol, to determine the origin of the gold and the legitimacy of the certification documents provided by the men, police said. The probe will also focus on the fate of the gold.