Gold coins seized at Estonian-Russian border put up for auction
Nearly €400,000 worth of gold coins found hidden in a truck seat at Estonia's Luhamaa border checkpoint are now up for grabs after authorities put them up for auction.
The Estonian Tax and Customs Board (MTA) is auctioning 157 gold coins, valued at about €390,000, that were seized at the southeastern border crossing last year.
Customs officers found the coins, weighing nearly 4.8 kilograms, hidden inside a truck seat on August 8 as they inspected the vehicle before it left Estonia.
A criminal investigation was opened over an alleged attempted sanctions violation and to determine who owned the coins. After the owner could not be identified, a court ordered the coins forfeited to the state.
The coins are being auctioned in small lots through Osta.ee, a local online auction site similar to eBay. Bidding on the first eight coins runs through October 14.
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Editor: Mari Peegel, Aili Vahtla
