Gold has become the new investment of the criminal organizations: “They got rich from it”
Against the backdrop of rising gold prices, it appears that criminals from criminal organizations abandoned investment in crypto and purchased ounces of gold. The police are having trouble locating the gold that finances the criminal organizations’ villas, B&Bs and luxury cars: “hidden in all kinds of places”
The Israeli police estimate that criminals from criminal organizations have purchased large amounts of gold ounces in recent years, and have profited from this thanks to the increase in gold prices in the world. “They sold the cryptocurrencies and bought large amounts of gold,” notes a police intelligence source.
According to the same source, the criminals hide the ounces so that the police cannot find them. Recently, units in the Coastal and Central District of the Israel Police, together with Lahav 433 detectives, raided the homes of criminals who are considered high-ranking targets and seized 25 ounces of gold and three luxury vehicles, which are suspected to have been purchased with funds obtained from tax evasion and money laundering.
An ounce of gold contains about 31 grams of 24 carat gold and costs $2,526. Mako learned that some of the criminal organizations also hold gold bars, one of which weighs 400 ounces, and is worth half a million dollars long ago. “It is very difficult to locate this gold because it is hidden in various places,” notes a police official.
“In the last two years, some of the criminals have become rich from the gold they purchased,” notes a criminal from the center of the country who refers to the increase in gold prices worldwide, “they bought villas, guest houses, luxury cars and stores and became partners in money-changers and restaurants.”
August 26, 2024 Published by Mako News Israel.
