Eight gunmen impersonating federal police stole nearly a ton of precious metals, including gold, from an international airport in Brazil on Thursday, an official said.

No shots were fired when the thieves confronted workers inside a warehouse at Sao Paulo's Guarulhos International Airport at around 14:30 (17:30 GMT), an airport official told AFP.

They made off with 750kg in precious metals that had been en route to New York and Zurich.

The assailants had driven vehicles resembling those used by federal police in the brazen robbery, the official said.

Police are investigating the incident.

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