No sooner had the luxurious car landed at Lusaka’s Kenneth Kaunda International Airport on Monday on a commercial plane, than its pictures were shared on social media including Twitter exciting netizens.
Bugatti was the top trending topic on Twitter in Zambia with reports claiming it is the first ever of its brand in the country.
On Tuesday, many took pictures and videos of the car as it was driven in the capital, Lusaka, with many left wondering just who’s the owner and how they had afforded the car.
Come Wednesday and authorities in Zambia seized the eye catching Bugatti Veyron pending investigations into possible money laundering.
“The vehicle has since been seized as investigations are being conducted," Zambia's Drug Enforcement Commission said in a statement.
The state investigative wing said that they had received "numerous concerns" from the public.
“Following the concerns raised, the commission is making follow ups to ensure that the purchase of the motor vehicle is not in breach of any money laundering laws," the statement said.
Authorities have not revealed the identity of the car, they, however, did reveal the owner had paid all the taxes relating to its clearance but did not give further details when asked its value and total taxes.
“The only thing we can confirm is that taxes were paid. The other details we can't give out because we need to respect the tax payer's confidentiality as guided by the law and our values,” said Topsy Sikalinda, the Zambia Revenue Authority spokesperson.
According to industry experts, they estimate that it costs between $2m-$3m (£1.5m-£2.3m) to buy a Bugatti Veyron.
Indaba Agricultural Policy Research Institute, a local think-tank places Zambia as the fifth hungriest country in the world.
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