Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia – The Hercules C-130 transport plane crash occurred at El Alto International Airport, Bolivia, shortly after landing and killed 24 people at the end of February 2026.
The plane was carrying 17.1 million banknotes belonging to the Central Bank of BCBB with a total value of 423 million bolivianos or around IDR 1 trillion.
When the incident happened, eyewitnesses immediately gathered at the accident site to collect the spilled cash. The police were forced to use tear gas to ward them off.
Video footage showed the plane on the ground and badly damaged vehicles. In another video, people who wanted to loot money were seen running away from tear gas and police officers, some holding shields, forming lines and even throwing stones at officers.
“While news crews were covering the accident, individuals trying to steal the money being transported attacked the press with unusual violence,” said the National Association of Bolivian Journalists, according to the BBC.
“According to the government, around 30% of the money has been looted,” wrote AFP.
This then made the government act. The BCB eventually made an announcement canceling all banknotes carried on the flight.
Money with series B will reportedly no longer be accepted by traders. The money brought by the ill-fated Hercules is now considered “worthless”.
BCB President David Espinoza appealed to the public to understand the situation, and urged them to accept legitimate cash. The BCB has provided a search tool on its website, which Bolivian citizens can use to verify the legitimacy of their cash.
“I want to make it clear to those who are trying to take money from the planes involved in this tragedy that this money has no legal value… that attempts to use this money are a crime,” added Defense Minister Marcelo Salinas.
“We also ask all parties who carry out acts of vandalism in this area to exercise restraint and respect the period of mourning and sorrow that we are experiencing in these difficult times,” he said.
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