In Wake of “Treasure Plane” Release, Actor Amr Waked Challenges Egypt’s Leadership

In a move that underscores the intertwining of arts and politics in the Middle East, the renowned Egyptian actor, Amr Waked, has publicly questioned the actions of President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi’s administration. This comes on the heels of the release of five Egyptians who had been detained in Zambia, linked to a case now colloquially termed the “Treasure Plane” incident.

Taking to the social media platform “X” (previously known as Twitter), Mr. Waked posed a series of pointed questions, hinting at deeper systemic issues. “In the aftermath of the Zambian smuggling debacle, one wonders if the Egyptian authorities will levy charges against these individuals, recently acquitted of espionage. Furthermore, who will hold them accountable for the substantial sum of U.S. dollars they allegedly exported out of Egypt? The actions of the Egyptian authorities in this matter will be telling,” Waked mused.

السؤال المهم في فضيحة التهريب الخاصة بطائرة زامبيا: هل ستوجه السلطات المصرية أي اتهام لهؤلاء المهربين العائدين من التبرئة من تهمة التجسس؟ هل ستحاسبهم اي جهة في مصر على كل هذا الدولار الكاش الذي خرجوا به من مصر؟ ام ان السلطات المصرية ستتصرف كالمتواطئة كما عهدناها في هذه الجريمة؟

— Amr Waked (@amrwaked) September 1, 2023

The backdrop to Waked’s inquiries is a decision by the Lusaka Subordinate Court to release the detained Egyptians after Zambian prosecutors dropped their charges. The incident, which transpired roughly three weeks ago, involved a private plane loaded with a significant sum of money, weapons, and what was later identified as counterfeit gold bars.

Zambian officials, during a meticulous inspection on August 13th, discovered approximately $5.7 million, an assortment of firearms, and 602 gold bars, suspected to be inauthentic, weighing in at around 127 kilograms. Subsequent analyses confirmed the bars were primarily composed of lesser metals like copper and zinc, sparking media speculation about potential fraudulent schemes targeting gold buyers.