Police have detained four men in connection with one of the world's biggest bank heists and have so far recovered more than US$2 million of the US$70 million in local currency stolen from the central bank, officials said on Friday.
The money -- part of nearly 165 million reals (US$70 million) stolen from a central bank vault in the northeastern city of Fortaleza -- was stashed in three pickup trucks police found on a car transporter several hundred kilometers from the crime scene.
"During our investigations we discovered that one of the city's biggest car dealerships received cash for several vehicles," federal police spokeswoman Sabrina Albuquerque said by telephone.
When police intercepted the transporter near Belo Horizonte,1,900km from Fortaleza, it was carrying 11 vehicles, she said.
A search unveiled about 5 million reals (US$2.12 million) stashed inside the seats, bodywork and spare tires of a Mitsubishi and two Montana pickups. Another 5,350 reals (US$2,300) was found earlier in the week in a white van parked near the crime scene.
The money found so far was in stacks of 50-real notes, the same denomination stolen from the bank last weekend, and tied with central bank wrappers, Albuquerque said.
"We still have to inspect eight cars on the transporter and we think more cash will be found," she said.
The driver of the truck carrying the cars, his employer who was accompanying him and the two brothers who own the car dealership have been placed under temporary arrest, allowing police to hold them for up to 10 days while they investigate whether they were involved in the robbery.
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