Newsmakers

An ordinary summer construction job turned into an extraordinary treasure hunt for an 18-year-old student in Belgium after he and his colleagues discovered a hidden stash of gold worth an estimated €9 million (around ₹98 crore) while working on a sewer project.

The discovery was made in Sint-Gillis-Dendermonde, about 30 kilometres northwest of Brussels, during work to replace underground sewage pipes. The teenager, identified only as Kobe, was working as a summer employee at the construction site when the workers came across the unexpected hoard.

Teen Initially Thought They Were €1 Coins
Kobe told Belgian media that the discovery initially appeared to be nothing more than ordinary coins.

The workers suddenly noticed something buried at the site. Kobe said he initially thought they had found €1 coins, but their excitement quickly turned to disbelief when they uncovered a gold bar.

As they continued digging, more gold coins and bars emerged, revealing that the workers had stumbled upon a substantial hidden treasure.

The haul reportedly included 49 gold bars, hundreds of gold coins, gold nuggets and other valuable pieces. Police later photographed the bars and coins before taking the treasure into official custody.

Gold Was Hidden Inside an Old Cellar Wall
The treasure was not simply buried underground. Investigators believe it had been deliberately concealed inside a bricked-in section of an old cellar beneath a historic villa.

The property was originally built for Theophilus Van Assche, a wealthy brewery owner, in the late 19th century. Brewing operations reportedly began at the site in 1899 and continued until 1970.

The building is now undergoing extensive renovation by CAW Oost-Vlaanderen, a social welfare organisation that plans to develop the property into offices and housing. The workers were laying drainage pipes when they unexpectedly struck the hidden hoard.


Police Quickly Secured the ₹98 Crore Treasure
Once the workers realised what they had discovered, they notified their employer and the authorities rather than attempting to keep the gold.

Police arrived at the site, catalogued the treasure and transferred it to a high-security government facility in Brussels. Authorities are now investigating the origin of the gold and trying to determine who legally owns it.

Officials also need to establish whether the gold was legitimately acquired or could have been stolen or linked to criminal activity.

Who Will Get the Treasure?
Despite finding the fortune, Kobe and his colleagues cannot simply take the gold home.

The discovery could trigger a complicated ownership dispute involving the property owner, the construction company, CAW Oost-Vlaanderen and possible descendants of the Van Assche family.

A former mayor of Dendermonde suggested that the treasure may have belonged to the wealthy Van Assche family, which could have accumulated gold and deliberately hidden it in the building. However, authorities have yet to establish its definitive ownership.

Under Belgian rules concerning such discoveries, potential claims must be dealt with before the finders can potentially receive any benefit from the treasure. Reports say a five-year period may apply for potential owners to come forward.

For now, Kobe can only wait and hope that the extraordinary discovery eventually brings him and his colleagues a finder's reward.

Treasure Hunters Rush to the Site
News of the discovery has already attracted curiosity seekers, with some people reportedly attempting to visit the location in the hope of finding more gold.

Police, however, have warned people to stay away. The authorities have confirmed that the discovered treasure has been removed and that the construction site contains dangerous pits and excavation areas.

What began as a routine sewage project has therefore turned into one of Belgium's most unusual recent treasure discoveries — and for 18-year-old Kobe, a regular summer job suddenly became a chance encounter with nearly ₹100 crore worth of hidden gold.