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Egypt Proactively Preparing For Tunisian-Style Rioting: Airport Intercepts 59 Outbound Gold Shipments Worth Tens Of Millions

Submitted by Tyler Durden on 01/22/2011 15:41 -0400

After a week ago we learned that the central bank of Tunisia had parted with 23% of its gold stash courtesy of now deposed president who fled the country with a 1.5 ton shipment of gold, it appears that Egypt is preparing for a comparable spike in revolutionary activity. Only unlike the now former Tunisian president whose gold sequestering actions were retroactive and thus, quite lucky to succeed, Egypt has taken proactive measures. According to Egypt News, the country's airport has intercepted 59 shipments of gold directed for the Netherlands "worth tens of millions." The gold, as well as an indeterminate amount of foreign currencies, was hidden in pillow cases: uh, cotton may not show up on X-Rays, but gold sure does. We eagerly await to learn how big the decline in the country's official holdings 75.6 tonnes of gold will be after this most recent episode confirming that gold is precisely money. And all this happening despite gold's complete and thorough inedibility.

From News Egypt, google translated from the Arabic:

Authority announced today the state of emergency to re-examine the expulsion of 59 gold and foreign currencies was on its way out of Egypt on the path of smuggling after the discovery of tearing some pillow cases before they are shipped to the Netherlands.

The workers were shipping on the plane heading to Amsterdam, the Netherlands were surprised to tear bags under the 59 parcels containing large quantities of gold and foreign currencies worth tens of millions were reported to officials.

Committee was formed headed by one official of the Egyptian banks have been re-examine the packages and parcels to make sure that shortages and supervise the shipment on the plane.

In other news we urge readers to listen to Jim Rickards most recent interview with King World News discussing everything from gold, silver, Greenspan, the Fed, QE the US Dollar and much more (link).

h/t Scrataliano

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Sat, 01/22/2011 - 20:17 | 896454 Quinvarius

Better work on your koogle exercises before making a run for the border.

Sat, 01/22/2011 - 22:24 | 896564 Mariposa de Oro

I think its Kegel or something but I get what you mean, lol. Fortunately I'm already out of the USA. Its going on three years since I left. Those exercises will come in handy if I have to cross other borders tho.....

:o)

Sun, 01/23/2011 - 00:04 | 896697 knukles

That's just wrong.
Small Mexican Child Protective Services is gonna get your ass.
Why not just have a big old fat Mexican with a goiter problem half swallow it?

Sat, 01/22/2011 - 16:28 | 896108 Dr Hackenbush

it's the beginning of a stable international currency

Sat, 01/22/2011 - 18:12 | 896274 Sudden Debt

A international currency won't work.

Just like globalisation hasn't worked.

It can only work if the levels of wealth are the same all over the world.

And for that to work, the west needs to lose a lot and the east and orient need to rise as much to get a equilibrium.

In the 1910's untill the 1950's they tried it with different currencies backed by silver and a universal silver weight for the coins. Peso's, Sols, Francs, Crowns, Ecu's, Pessos, Marks, Dollars... because the different monetairy agenda's and situations in the countries.

The second attempt untill now is the dollar and to provide all the requested dollars they did a overkill that can't be turned back.

The euro was the thrids attempt and well... that proved to be a dud after 12 years to.

Just forget about the international currency. It doesn't work.

Only a world war could "unite" the world and conquest of all.

The idea is as old as western history itself.

It all started with the knights of Aragon who wanted to unite the world through banking with a international currency. And in their time, IT ACTUALLY WORKED FOR 200 YEARS. Untill it didn't anymore.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knights_Templar_Seal

Sat, 01/22/2011 - 19:14 | 896382 Dr Hackenbush

sorry, it was meant as sarcasm. I believe in small representative gvmnt. At present, the concept of international currency (no matter the medium) is a continuation of the neo-liberal debt chasing expansionist policy, driven by all forms of debt money and FRB, which some will contend gold is not, even as history soundly rebukes them.

Sat, 01/22/2011 - 16:49 | 896152 Dr. Gonzo

It's a sad day when dictators can't trust the people they plundered their gold from to facilitate it's safe passage to a new home. Stories like this make me think that my coin investment strategy might not be so crazy after all.

Sat, 01/22/2011 - 17:11 | 896182 Printfaster

Stamp collecting. Sows.

Sat, 01/22/2011 - 17:21 | 896190 max2205

Funny. Sign of the times.

I got an email from an Egyptian who needed $10,000 to help him get papers to release 100 kilos of gold from the French Airport Authorities

Should I help him out?

Sun, 01/23/2011 - 00:46 | 896739 Sad Sufi

Yes, but there is a chance it might be a trap. I would negotiate a 5000$ wire to get things started, then give him the balance when things work out.

Sat, 01/22/2011 - 17:25 | 896193 Jerry Maguire

You can't blame them. After the jubilee, gold would be pegged at $27,300 US per ounce:

See here:

http://strikelawyer.wordpress.com/2011/01/15/amending-the-constitution-t...

http://strikelawyer.wordpress.com/2011/01/15/us-constitution-28th-amendm...

And read following related posts for more information/explanation.

Sat, 01/22/2011 - 17:40 | 896229 Hephasteus

In other news. Christmas and Easter have been replaced with kick your government in the nuts days.

Sat, 01/22/2011 - 17:47 | 896236 topcallingtroll

Look I hate to be such a troll but it is still easier to smuggle dollars than gold. This may have more to do with the difficulty in getting good dollar rates of exchange in egypts pegged and tightly controlled dollar supply than a love for gold. It is far easier to shove $ 50,000 cash up your ass. Just be sure to clean yourself out and liquids only.for a couple of days. It is even easier to sterilize high quality diamonds and insert a million dollars worth under sub q tissue, but that i have not tried. Saw it done on tv by an adventure traveler who always wanted tohave a backup plan when traveling in risky areas.

Sat, 01/22/2011 - 18:06 | 896268 Mr Lennon Hendrix

So you are saying it was an ill thought act of desperation. I agree.

Sat, 01/22/2011 - 22:53 | 896601 goldsaver

It is even easier to sterilize high quality diamonds and insert a million dollars worth under sub q tissue, but that i have not tried

So... you have traveled with 50k stuffed up your ass?

Sat, 01/22/2011 - 23:15 | 896627 snowball777

http://www.shevibe.com/images/products/lelo/display/OLGA-GOLD.jpg

http://andresbuyshouses.com/images/50000_dollars__small_.jpg

beware papercuts...

Sun, 01/23/2011 - 00:33 | 896730 palmereldritch

FYI

RFID in dollars

http://www.prisonplanet.com/022904rfidtagsexplode.html

Sat, 01/22/2011 - 18:20 | 896295 Dick Darlington

In other news: 01-22 15:52: Citigroup board raises CEO Vikram Pandit's base salary to $1.75M from $1

Sat, 01/22/2011 - 23:27 | 896640 snowball777

Accountability and meritocracy are only for peons.

Sat, 01/22/2011 - 18:45 | 896341 Stuck on Zero

Remember, 330 million ounces of gold, the Russian gold reserves, vanished from the Sovet Union from 1980-1990. It all went on the worlds markets depressing the price of gold for many years. Will it happen again? Will political fugitives will come zipping out of countries everywhere with tons of gold and depressing the gold market?

Sat, 01/22/2011 - 19:16 | 896384 Hephasteus

Looks to be the plan. Zerg rush.

Sat, 01/22/2011 - 23:28 | 896642 snowball777

One cannot overestimate the utility of Nydus canals for smuggling.

Sat, 01/22/2011 - 18:57 | 896354 gwar5

Thanks Tyler. Like me some new Rickards, too. Yep, can't eat gold, but it can still buy you a whole lotta love.

So, this is the elites of Egypt getting their stash out? These were commercial flights with that kind of gold?

Makes one wonder how much was not snagged or on government flights.

When Mubarek's plane is airborne without a flight plan you'll know it's the end of the beginning.

Sat, 01/22/2011 - 19:03 | 896360 LoneStarHog

If an Alchemist can only find a way to turn that "barbarous relic" into lead - always need more ammo - it might have some utilitarian value, since you can't eat it, it pays no dividend, and you dig it up only to put it back into some ground storage.

Sat, 01/22/2011 - 19:25 | 896398 strannick

If you think gold tastes bad, try munching FRNs. They have a terrible after-taste.

Sat, 01/22/2011 - 23:31 | 896645 snowball777

You don't need alchemy; some carefully aimed neutrons will give you the beta decay necessary to keep your clips topped off.

Sat, 01/22/2011 - 19:09 | 896371 tallystick

new animation:

Blankfein Training for Fight Club

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sFxPB0yXISo&feature=mfu_in_order&list=UL

Sat, 01/22/2011 - 19:12 | 896379 Hephasteus

These are soooo cool.

Sat, 01/22/2011 - 19:39 | 896413 tallystick

I'm gonna get motion capture data from real MMA fighters for the first night of Fight Club. Gotta get through all the characters training vids first.

Sat, 01/22/2011 - 19:45 | 896423 Hephasteus

I can't wait for all this nonsense to fall down. People start crowdsourcing Open movies and games. Wish I wasn't almost dead would love to do some bit flipping.

Sat, 01/22/2011 - 19:10 | 896375 Hephasteus

So whenever you pat down a fleeing dictator what is the manual procedure.

Stop

Get on the floor

Everbody walk the dinosaur.

Sat, 01/22/2011 - 19:24 | 896394 strannick

If you think gold tastes bad, try munching FRNs. They have a terrible after-taste.

Sat, 01/22/2011 - 20:32 | 896467 mcarthur

The western world has been effectively subsidizing food prices to countries such as Egypt for well over a generation. But farm land is a finite resource and China will take the excess soybean, and your gas tank will take the excess corn, thanks very much. The abnormalities that tore the world apart between the world wars are once again playing out in slow motion. When an obese and uncomfortable Yank can't find a job that he does not deserve anyway, who gives a shit about an Egyptian.

Sun, 01/23/2011 - 01:15 | 896756 JW n FL

I knew Bowman McArthur... John McArthur is his grandson one of my closest friends... simply the finest people to walk the planet earth. true gentlemen, not fucking curse word out of thier combined mouths, ever... to my knowledge..

as for a McArthur mindset, egypt is a beach head... beach heads are good, not bad.

Sat, 01/22/2011 - 20:45 | 896483 Dr. Gonzo

I thought I loved gold more than anyone. I thought I understood gold more than anyone. Obviously not. These fuckers love gold even more than me and they are willing to take extreme risks to hang on to it. I learned another lesson about gold this past week. It's even more important than I thought it was.

Sat, 01/22/2011 - 20:54 | 896493 Captain Benny

If anyone has a couple hours to burn educating themselves, you really need to listen to Jim Rickards. He knows his stuff:

http://outerdnn.outer.jhuapl.edu/rethinking/VideoArchives/MrJamesGRickardsPresentationVideo.aspx

Sat, 01/22/2011 - 21:51 | 896535 gwar5

I've been following Rickards for about a year and I just got done with his latest just now.

Everything he's been saying over that time has been unfolding. The Davos elites are pulling for WRC @ IMF w/ the SDR or Bancor fiat. No change there.

But now, they're proposing a world enforcement body? New twist, but not unexpected. This would also require trickle down enforcement, no doubt. Obama did just sign an executive order allowing foreign troops on US soil at his command ('Council of Governors' EO signed January 11, 2010). Putin and Jintao don't need it.

American Republic replaced by “Council of Governors”?

If the Russian and Chinese are on board, it looks to happen. The BRICs were the hold outs for a gold standard. The West wanted to continue fiat. If there is a gold standard component to an IMF SDR exchange unit they will no doubt want sovereign gold to back it up. The Western bankers are carving up the world with Putin and the Chinese. We better get our gold away from the FRBNY and over to West Point.

Last year the PBOC bought into LCFR (the abbreviation for Rothchilds private French bank--no kidding) for $200 million, removing the Chinese obstacle.

Rickards points out the players (the usual suspects) in the 85 page Davos report and it looks complete now with the BRICs. If they are all in agreements, there would be no obstacles except the American middle class and Ron Paul.

A manufactured crises to scare America into going along with world government/bank scheme seems to be in order, especially if there is a lot of laughing and backslapping seen at Davos in the next week. (btw, Sen Lindsay Graham was seen at Davos last year, confirming his faustian status)

Sun, 01/23/2011 - 13:41 | 897176 Buckaroo Banzai

hmmm. 10 Governors on the "Council"... 10 FEMA regions. I guess that means we see one governor from each FEMA region??? Can anyone guess where this is headed?

http://www.fema.gov/about/regions/index.shtm

Sun, 01/23/2011 - 02:51 | 896821 palmereldritch

A very informative video. Thanks for the link.

I thought it was instructive that Rikards talked about the robust economic growth under the gold standard established by President Grant despite a deflationary environment yet he failed to provide the context that this system at that time was without the assistance/cartel of a private central bank.

IMO his omission of the history of the appearance and disappearance of private central banks from his timeline suggests to pre-suppose no omission of their toxic hand in a near future, new gold standard. Or perhaps I'm just a skeptic.

Sat, 01/22/2011 - 22:35 | 896572 Caviar Emptor

Throughout human history, in times of great distress, people have grabbed their gold...and run.

Those with the gold will survive economic disasters (hyperinflation, currency devaluations), political disasters (dictators, wars, invasions, coups, revolutions, sudden changes in currency laws), natural disasters (no access to banks, accounts untraceable, price gouging), and all the shades of grey in between disasters and mere big changes that affect the value of things that can be manipulated like currencies, prices in paper money, and rules governing transfer of paper money.

Hey if dictators turn to gold as they cut and run, you gotta know there's something to it. Gold, the choice of dictators everywhere, any time!

Sun, 01/23/2011 - 01:11 | 896754 JW n FL

how much do we have? as a country? more than any other single country? does that mean that we are (the country) under a dick-tater-ship?

Sat, 01/22/2011 - 23:11 | 896625 robertocarlos

Just tell the TSA you thought it was a Tom's Gold Chocolate bar.

Sun, 01/23/2011 - 02:09 | 896795 plocequ1

Or perhaps it was a Willy Wonka Golden ticket

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=29_uSlEEPSk

Sun, 01/23/2011 - 01:30 | 896766 Grand Supercycle

As warned about - Gold and Silver were very overbought with an overextended monthly chart.

I now expect significant downside for both and increasing strength in the USD as regular readers will have heard me mention many, many times...

http://stockmarket618.wordpress.com

Sun, 01/23/2011 - 13:37 | 897170 jomama

i lol'd

Sun, 01/23/2011 - 04:59 | 896863 write_thesis

can i have one.

http://www.qualityresearch.org.uk

Sun, 01/23/2011 - 11:15 | 897016 Hollow_Point

Looks like Canada's gold reserves have just increased...

http://www.ottawacitizen.com/news/Tunisian+exiles+welcome+Canada+says/4151755/story.html

Sun, 01/23/2011 - 12:31 | 897095 torabora

It's more likely that contraban is fleeing by mega-yacht. If I were a pirate I'd be intercepting shipping outbound from there in the Med or Red Sea.

Sun, 01/23/2011 - 16:03 | 897448 apberusdisvet

Great Vid, Turd. BTW, just an observation on the last 2 week's worth of going to the most influential blog sites; ZH and Turd's among them. It appears that there are some employees of the Ministry of Indoctrination and Propaganda out in force, not only in the comments, but also in the actual articles. The tenor of these have been supporting the USG's phoney employment, CPI and housing statistics and of course, the bashing of PMs, especially gold. We are being set up just like the TSA dicta of groping, snitching on your neighbors, screening machine locations expanded beyond airports, etc. Something weird is coming. A market crash maybe, but some sort of martial law at the least or further restrictions on our freedom.

Sun, 01/23/2011 - 16:27 | 897499 PulauHantu29

Two points:

Much easier to carry gold nuggets out and buy your way to freedom (as many Cambodians, Vietnamese, etc did during/after the Vietnam catastrophe) then to try to sell your land at the last minute. Also, same thing happened to Indians in Africa when the locals “repatriated” land from them—much easier to carry out your yellow metal I suspect;

Swiss bank vaults will probably see a massive influx of even more gold as countries collapse/civil unrest….etc.

IMHO.

Mon, 01/24/2011 - 03:07 | 898208 laosuwan

Americans cannot take more than 2,500 dollars of gold out of the country without declaring it, 10,000 for cash. Americans cannot get their gold out of the country legally.

http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/newsroom/news_releases/archives/may_2010/05312010_2.xml

This awaits you if you try...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c0SXuclz47Y

Egypt Proactively Preparing For Tunisian-Style Rioting: Airport Intercepts 59 Outbound Gold Shipments Worth Tens Of Millions

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