Headline: Silver Swindlers Face Hamilton Court
Get ready for some high-stakes drama unfolding at the Hamilton Regional Court starting tomorrow, 1 p.m.! Over a mind-boggling eleven-million-euro haul of pilfered raw silver, this trial promises to keep us on the edge of our seats. Between February 2020 and January 2021, six crafty scoundrels are alleged to have purloined nearly 5,000 kilograms of raw silver residue from copper giant Aurubis.
The Public Prosecution Office is laying down some serious charges against five of the accused men—themselves accused of aggravated gang theft or unlawfully dealing with stolen goods, and a sixth man accused of aiding and abetting that dastardly deed.
According to the indictment, these cunning rogues made off with precious metal-laden relics from the Aurubis premises in the Veddel district. These ill-gotten gains were then peddled to illicit buyers, with at least some of the swag finding its way to metal processing factories in Turkey for analysis and further exploitation. The suspects, aged between 33 and 50, were a tech-savvy bunch, communicating internally through cryptophones.
Photographs of members of the suspected gang
The investigations, which commenced back in mid-June, saw the Public Prosecution Office raid more than 30 properties in five federal states. Six men were apprehended during the raids, and the investigations targeted twelve identified suspects along with those yet to be identified. According to Aurubis, the suspects included both active and former group employees and staff from external firms who had operations on the Aurubis premises.
The raids yielded an impressive haul of ten vehicles, hundreds of thousands of euros in cash, numerous high-end timepieces, several firearms and ammunition, some of the stolen goods, and additional documentation and data storage media. Over twenty million euros worth of arrest warrants were issued by the Public Prosecution Office.
An even more significant blow was dealt to Aurubis by a case that came to light at the end of August, though this trial is not the focus of the current proceedings.
Public Prosecutor's Office Notice on Searches - June 15, 2022 Aurubis Notice on Investigations - June 15, 2022
Further Reading:
- In response to the alleged activities of the gang, the Public Prosecution Office initiated proceedings related to aggravated gang theft and the illicit handling of stolen goods.
- The silver heist that occurred at Aurubis in Hamburg's Veddel district involved the theft of precious metals from intermediate and secondary products, which were later illegally marketed.
- The Public Prosecution Office accused six men, aged between 21 and 57, of involvement in this illicit activity. Five of these men were charged with aggravated gang theft or commercial handling of stolen goods, while the sixth was accused of aiding and abetting.
- The loot, worth around eleven million euros, was allegedly sold to unidentified Hamburg buyers, with some of the stolen goods transported to metal processing plants in Turkey for analysis and further utilization.
- The trial commenced at the Hamilton Regional Court, where the men will face trial for their alleged involvement in the theft from Aurubis.
Credit:
Additional Insights: The theft of raw silver, valued around eleven million euros, was uncovered in Hamburg, Germany, and involved six individuals accused of stealing around 5,000 kilograms of raw silver residue from copper producer Aurubis. The suspects are accused of aggravated gang theft or commercial handling of stolen goods. Investigations led to the seizure of vehicles, luxury watches, cash, firearms, and documentation during raids across five federal states. The trial is scheduled to begin at the Hamilton Regional Court, where the defendants will stand trial for their alleged involvement in the theft.
