Astonished cops who pulled over a man with his wife and child for a minor traffic offence were stunned to discover a massive haul of gold bars hidden in the dashboard.
The vehicle was stopped by Federal Highway Police in Boa Vista, in the northern Brazilian state of Roraima, on 4th August.
The 30-year-old driver, who was travelling in a 2024 Toyota Hilux with his 32-year-old wife and their nine-month-old baby, was flagged down near the Macuxis Bridge on BR-401.
Picture shows over 100 solid gold bars seized in Boa Vista, Brazil, undated. The seizure occurred on Aug. 4, 2025. Note: Police photo. (PRF/Newsflash/NX)
When officers noticed inconsistencies in the man's paperwork, they carried out a more thorough inspection and uncovered more than 100 bars of gold stashed inside secret compartments of the dashboard.
Photos show the bars laid out in evidence bags and being extracted from behind panels in the front of the vehicle.
The total weight was confirmed at 103 kilogrammes (227 lbs), and the gold was valued at BRL 61 million (GBP 8.3 million).
According to police spokesperson Rodrigo Magno, patrol officers noticed signs of tampering and decided to take a closer look, leading to what the PRF said was the largest gold seizure in its history.
The vehicle was not registered in the driver’s name, and although he claimed to work in construction and on “large projects,” investigators are now working to determine the origin and intended destination of the gold.
Picture shows over 100 solid gold bars seized in Boa Vista, Brazil, undated. The seizure occurred on Aug. 4, 2025. Note: Police photo. (PRF/Newsflash/NX)
While police have not confirmed where the gold came from, authorities in the region have previously raised concerns about illegal mining operations on protected Indigenous lands in Roraima, often involving the smuggling of ore across borders into neighbouring Venezuela or Guyana.
Officials suspect the truck came from Rondonia and may have been heading toward one of those two countries.
The driver, later identified as Bruno Mendes de Jesus, was arrested.
The gold has since been transferred to the Federal Police for further investigation.
(Mike Leidig / newsX)