Police authorities in Bolivia seized 189.5 kg of illegal gold on a private jet at Viru Viru International Airport in Santa Cruz de la Sierra. The cargo, which has an valuation exceeding R$ 120 million, was being transported without the proper export authorization and was destined for Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates.
The aircraft used for transport belongs to Brazilian businessman Valdir José Zorzo, owner of the Mato Grosso do Sul-based Dallas group, which operates in the food and agribusiness sectors. By judicial order, the seized precious metal was sent to the Central Bank of Bolivia.
In an official statement released this Monday (27), the Dallas Group clarified that the businessman was not present on the flight and did not authorize the trip. The company also stated that it has no involvement with the irregularity detected by Bolivian authorities.
The business group's statement emphasized that the aircraft is not used for commercial freight services. Furthermore, the company informed that the businessman and the group are cooperating with the investigations to clarify the facts.
The Dallas Group also stated that the plane is in Brazilian territory and, therefore, is not under seizure. The company declared that it has initiated an internal investigation to understand what happened.
As of the closing of this report, there was no formal accusation registered against Valdir José Zorzo or the Dallas Group regarding the seized gold case.
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