Construction workers in Belgium uncovered more than $10 million in gold this week while digging a sewer line beneath a former brewery.
The discovery happened in Sint-Gillis-Dendermonde, about 19 miles northwest of Brussels, according to local police. An 18-year-old student worker named Kobe was among the crew installing pipes under the old foundation when he first spotted what he thought were euro coins. The team kept digging and soon found gold bars and more coins.
“At first I thought it was €1 coins,” Kobe told Belgian broadcaster VTM. “So we started digging them up. Then we saw a gold bar. It turned out to be a bit more than we thought.”
Police said the hoard included dozens of numbered gold bars and thousands of coins, stashed in a bag and bricked into a cellar wall of the 19th-century villa that once belonged to the brewery’s owner. Workers immediately notified their supervisors and contacted authorities.
Dendermonde police collected the gold, inventoried it and moved it to a high-security federal vault. Under Belgian law, the rightful owner has five years to claim the treasure. If no valid claim is made, the gold’s fate will be decided later.
The property is now owned by CAW Oost-Vlaanderen, a social welfare organization converting the site into offices and transitional housing. Its director said any unclaimed portion could help support people in need.
Police have warned treasure hunters to stay away from the still-active construction site, noting it contains open pits and remains dangerous.
The workers have not claimed ownership of the gold and are hoping for a possible finder’s fee under Belgian rules.
LISTEN on the Audacy App
Tell your Smart Speaker to "PLAY 1080 KRLD"
Sign Up to receive our KRLD Insider Newsletter for more news
Follow us on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube
