An extraordinary discovery has been made in Belgium, where workers renovating a house uncovered gold worth approximately €9 million hidden inside the walls of the basement.
The workers were carrying out renovations at a property in East Flanders, excavating the foundations to install new sewage pipes, when they discovered a large quantity of gold coins and bars.
Among them was 18-year-old Kobe, who was working there during his summer break. He initially thought the coins were ordinary currency.
“At first, I thought they were €1 coins. But then we saw a piece of gold and realized it was something much bigger,” he told Belgian public broadcaster VRT.
The workers immediately notified the police and did not attempt to keep the gold. The site manager said the amount discovered was so substantial that it would have been impossible to conceal.
The property is currently owned by CAW Oost-Vlaanderen, an organization providing social assistance and support. Its director said he hoped that, should the organization eventually benefit from the discovery, the money would be used to help people in need.
Police have launched an investigation to determine who owns the gold and how it came to be hidden inside the building. The treasure has been moved to a secure location, while authorities have urged the public not to visit the site in search of additional valuables.
Under Belgian law, the rightful owner has five years to claim the treasure. If no one comes forward and the gold is found not to be connected to criminal activity, it may be divided between the person who discovered it and the property owner.
For now, the biggest mystery remains: who hid the gold—and who will ultimately have the right to the €9 million fortune?
