Rio de Janeiro -Federal police in the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso say they detained an Austrian born-businessman as he attempted to board a plane with a bar of gold.
The police say Werner Rydl was detained on Friday at an airport in the town of Varzea Grande. He was taken to a detention center in the nearby state capital of Cuiaba. Officials say people carrying gold need to show a receipt.
A report on Globo television's G1 internet portal quotes an attorney for the naturalized Brazilian as saying the 644 gram (23 ounce) bar of gold is a good-luck charm.
Lawyer Andre Prieto is quoted as saying his client is an “eccentric.”
Sapa-AP