Gold seized during inspection of collapsed lender Amber Gold

ABW functionaries outside the main headquarters of Amber Gold in Gdansk: photo - PAP/Adam Warzawa

The inspection was carried out by Poland's Internal Security Agency (ABW) on Thursday, taking in both the residence of company founder and director Marcin Plichta in Gdansk, as well as 13 other sites connected with the firm.

Besides the gold, ABW functionaries seized about 500 files containing invoices, details of transfers and other accounting information.

Earlier this week it had been reported that besides Amber Gold's bank account being empty, no gold had been located.

The collapse of the company, which had been operating without a banking license thanks to a loop-hole in the law, has left clients up in arms, with an estimated 50,000 customers currently unable to withdraw funds.

Some 80 million zloty (20 million euro) is reportedly owed to clients.

Poland's Financial Supervision Authority (FSA) had placed Amber Gold on its black list, but this has not prevented the Polish government from being caught up in the fiasco, with Prime Minister Tusk pledging on Wednnesday to “restore trust in financial institutions.” (nh/pg)