Bolivia’s safety forces have raided no less than 22 properties close to the location the place a army airplane carrying hundreds of thousands of {dollars} in money crashed final week, searching for to recuperate banknotes stolen after the accident.
At the least 24 folks died within the crash, most of whom the place in autos in an avenue close to Bolivia’s El Alto Worldwide Airport, one of many nation’s most necessary terminals. The airplane was carrying newly-printed financial institution notes totaling 423 million bolivianos ($62 million) for Bolivia’s central financial institution.
The Friday crash scattered hundreds of thousands of payments throughout El Alto, Bolivia’s second-largest metropolis, drawing 1000’s of residents to the scene in quest of money as authorities moved to burn and destroy the notes. The incident has additionally created confusion for companies struggling to tell apart between legitimate forex and payments from the crash that the central financial institution has declared void.
Residents have been nonetheless looking out the world on Monday, with dozens utilizing picks and shovels to dig close to the crash website and pull out bushes in hopes of discovering remaining money.
Practically 50 persons are in custody pending court docket hearings on accusations together with aggravated theft, based on Henry Pinto, regional director of the anti-crime drive.
The army cargo airplane departed from Santa Cruz carrying the notes for the central financial institution, which deliberate to problem them. The cargo was a part of a contract with Crane Forex Malta Ltd. for 966.9 million banknotes scheduled for supply in 2025 and 2026.
About 30% of the 17 million payments aboard the airplane have been stolen, the central financial institution stated. The rest have been both recovered or burned on the crash website. Residents clashed with police and airport infrastructure was broken as crowds fought to gather the notes, authorities stated.
The central financial institution stated all the transported payments have been marked “Sequence B” and that it had voided their serial numbers. Different “Sequence B” notes already in circulation stay authorized tender.
Even so, confusion persists. Some companies posted indicators Monday saying they might refuse all “Sequence B” notes no matter serial quantity. Public transport drivers stated it’s unattainable to confirm serial numbers whereas managing passengers and site visitors.
High {photograph}: Bolivianos banknotes on the scene of the crash on Feb. 27, 2026; photograph credit score: Marcelo Perez del Carpio/Bloomberg
Copyright 2026 Bloomberg.
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