Police in the western city of Bruges shut down an event at which traders were buying gold and jewellery. The event was taking place in a hotel in the city centre of the West Flemish capital. The police suspected that not everything was above board and went to check it out with an inspector from the economy ministry.
Bruges police had got wind of the event and suspected that something was not quite right. They decided to visit the event together with an inspector from the economy ministry to carry out the necessary checks.
‘A whole series of infringements were identified,’ says Lien Depoorter of Bruges police. 'For example, no poster detailing the prices that would be paid for the gold was visible. The traders were also not on the commercial register and did possess the necessary licences. The scales and magnifying glass used to examine the precious stones were very amateurish. And there was no cash register either.'
Bruges police decided to shut down the event immediately and draw up the necessary reports. ‘The hotel manager said he had nothing to do with the gold traders and had merely rented out a room for a business meeting,’ says Depoorter. ‘Potential customers our detectives were able to speak to had already left because they sensed something was wrong.’