Chile robbery: Armed gang steals $15m from Santiago airport

Image source, AFP

Image caption, The cash shipment was stolen from an international cargo area at Arturo Merino Ben铆tez airport

Police in Chile are searching for members of an armed gang who stole a cash shipment worth about $15m (拢11.5m) from a warehouse at Santiago airport.

At least seven men entered the cargo area of the airport were the cash was stored and forced the security guards to hand the money over at gunpoint.

They used two vehicles, one painted in the colours and with the logo of courier company DHL.

Police say they suspect the gang had "inside information".

The cash shipment of dollars and euros had arrived from abroad shortly before the robbery and was due to be taken to banks in Chile.

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An airport security guard was injured after receiving a blow to the head.

One of the vans used in the robbery was later found abandoned and partially burnt. Police said it did not belong to the courier company DHL but had been painted to look like it did.

It is not the first time a multi-million dollar sum has been stolen from the Arturo Merino Ben铆tez airport. In 2014, a gang of nine men stole a cash shipment worth $10m.

Following that robbery, the airport security chief at the time was sacked.