Swiss Miss: $600 Million in Loose Diamonds Up For Grabs

You may think of diamonds as luxury jewels that require high security, but apparently in Switzerland they’re so common they’re not even delivered in fully sealed packages. A recent delivery of over $600 million in loose diamonds was discovered with a gaping hole in the bottom of the container. In fact, you could have reached right in and scooped up a few bags of the shining stones without anyone noticing they were amiss. So much for that famous Swiss security!

The container of jewels landed at JFK airport after its flight from Zurich aboard a Swiss airline, where the bags of high-end stones were meant for distribution among New York’s finest jewelry stores, as well as other locations. While sitting in storage, a Port Authority officer noticed the shipment, while still sealed, had a bit of an issue. He spied an oversized gap where he saw the actual packages of gems within.

What’s especially concerning about this event is that it occurred in the same warehouse where just a week earlier thieves stole $1.2 million in cash, just as easy as you please. This second incident left many people, both in the business and out, wondering just who’s behind these problems.

What’s most amazing about this story, there doesn’t yet appear to be anything missing from the container of diamonds. But, cops quickly moved the cargo to a secured location where they will carefully unpack the goods and compare the stock with the manifest. There’s no doubt if even a single diamond is missing someone will find himself in very hot water. Police are ready to investigate if there’s evidence of a theft.

The world watches with bated breath to see if there will be any more luxury cash grabs or busted containers full of diamonds. Hopefully, the Swiss will redouble their security efforts and no more transportation problems will result in disappeared product. On the other hand, maybe you want to spend more time hanging around New York’s Port Authority, just in case.