Story perspectives

Police Seize 49 Gold Bars Worth €9 Million in Dendermonde

8/15/2026

Summary

Story summary

Construction workers in Dendermonde, East Flanders uncovered a hidden gold stash while digging a sewer.
Police seized 49 gold bars, a bucket of coins and a nugget, valued at about €9 million ($10.4 million, £7.6 million).
Authorities placed the haul in a high-security federal vault.
Prosecutor Hanne Ollevier said investigators do not know the gold’s origin or legal owner.
The East Flanders Public Prosecutor’s Office opened an investigation into the discovery.

History

Historical Context

On 4 April 1945 the U.S. 90th Infantry Division captured the Kaiseroda salt mine at Merkers, uncovering about 250 tons of Nazi gold hidden with foreign currencies and art. Allied units then transferred the treasure to Frankfurt. The 2024 discovery of 49 bars worth €9 million in Dendermonde shows how those wartime caches continue to surface.

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Story summary

Construction workers in Dendermonde, East Flanders uncovered a hidden gold stash while digging a sewer.
Police seized 49 gold bars, a bucket of coins and a nugget, valued at about €9 million ($10.4 million, £7.6 million).
Authorities placed the haul in a high-security federal vault.
Prosecutor Hanne Ollevier said investigators do not know the gold’s origin or legal owner.
The East Flanders Public Prosecutor’s Office opened an investigation into the discovery.

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