On 9 April 2025, our criminal investigators seized 88 coins allegedly taken from the historic shipwreck, the Zuytdorp.
The Zuytdorp is an important part of Australia's cultural heritage. It is one of only 4 known Dutch East India merchant vessels lost off Western Australia.
The Zuytdorp, lost in 1712, carried around 200 people. It also carried cargo of 128,000 Dutch Guilders worth of silver coins while traveling from the Netherlands to Batavia (now Jakarta). Its wreck, discovered near Kalbarri, WA, revealed a scattered "carpet of silver" across the ocean floor.
Zuytdorp is protected under the Underwater Cultural Heritage Act 2018. All artifacts from the wreck belong to the Commonwealth of Australia. Removing, possessing or selling items from this site without a permit is illegal under the Underwater Cultural Heritage Act 2018.
Authorities have been investigating the illegal removal and sale of items from this wreck.
In September last year, we located 3 coins allegedly taken from the shipwreck site. As a result of this seizure, Australian Border Force intercepted a Geraldton resident at Perth international airport, allegedly possessing 15 coins from the Zuytdorp.
In April, we worked with WA Police to locate 88 more coins taken from the wreck site.
This discovery was supported by the:
- Australian Federal Police
- Australian Border Force
The seized items, valued at over $240,000 have been transferred to the Western Australian Maritime Museum.
Our national heritage includes events and experiences that are significant to our nation. Protecting and conserving our natural and cultural heritage helps us remember how far we have come.
