The crew of a moored fishing boat became victims of a £7.2m heist when armed men, who were all dressed as police officers, boarded the boat and stole 70 bars of gold.
 
A police spokesman said the captain of Summer Bliss was hit over the head before the thieves took the gold and made their escape in three cars.
 
One of the crew told the Associated Press that they were unarmed, which is “normal” for the boat because they never carry arms.
 
He also said the crew, all from Guyana in South America, was delivering the gold to an unknown company in Curacao, where the boat was moored.
 
“Since I started working here I’ve transported gold once before,” he said, “and this is the system.”
 
The executive secretary of the Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners Association explained that legal shipments of gold are usually made by air and under heavy security. He added that gold smuggling is common as people try to dodge paying taxes and royalty payments.