At least eight tons of gold were reportedly removed from the Venezuelan central bank’s vaults by government officials last week, as President Nicolas Maduro seeks to raise capital amid tightening sanctions.

The gold was removed in government vehicles between Wednesday and Friday last week, when there were no regular security guards present at the bank, according to a report by Reuters.

The news agency said the information came from economist and National Assembly representative Angel Alvarado as well as “three government sources”.

“They plan to sell it abroad illegally,” Mr Alvarado said in an interview.

Mr Alvarado and the government sources, who spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity, did not say where the central bank was sending the gold. But they said the removal happened while Calixto Ortega, the central bank head, was abroad on a trip.

Venezuelans make art from banknotes in bid to give them value Show all 13 1 /13 Venezuelans make art from banknotes in bid to give them value Venezuelans make art from banknotes in bid to give them value venezuela-currency-3.jpg FILE - In this Feb. 6, 2019 file photo, Venezuelan migrant Edixon Infante shows a handicraft made in with devalued Venezuelan currency, in Cucuta, Colombia. The Venezuelan government and its state-owned entities currently owe around $150 billion to creditors around the world, while the countryÃ¢â¬â¢s foreign currency reserves have fallen to just $8 billion. (AP Photo/Fernando Vergara, File) AP Venezuelans make art from banknotes in bid to give them value venezuela-currency-1.jpg A Venezuelan migrant shows handicrafts made in with devalued Venezuelan currency, in Cucuta, Colombia, Wednesday, Feb. 6, 2019. The Venezuelan military blocked a border bridge where humanitarian aid is expected to arrive with a tanker and two cargo trailers, Colombian officials said Monday, in an apparent bid to stop the loads of food and other supplies from entering the country. (AP Photo/Fernando Vergara) AP Venezuelans make art from banknotes in bid to give them value venezuela-currency-2.jpg Venezuelan migrant Edixon Infante shows his handicrafts made in with devalued Venezuelan currency, in Cucuta, Colombia, Wednesday, Feb. 6, 2019. Tensions in the area have risen since the Venezuelan military blocked a border bridge where humanitarian aid is expected to arrive with a tanker and two cargo trailers, Colombian officials said Monday, in an apparent bid to stop the loads of food and other supplies from entering the country. (AP Photo/Fernando Vergara) AP Venezuelans make art from banknotes in bid to give them value venezuela-currency-5.jpg Closeup of a purse made by Venezuelan Wilmer Rojas, out of Bolivar banknotes in Caracas on January 30, 2018. - A young Venezuelan tries to make a living out of devalued Bolivar banknotes by making crafts with them. (Photo by FEDERICO PARRA / AFP) / TO GO WITH AFP STORY by Margioni BERMUDEZ (Photo credit should read FEDERICO PARRA/AFP/Getty Images) AFP/Getty Venezuelans make art from banknotes in bid to give them value venezuela-currency-4.jpg Detail of a bag made with Bolivarian money seen in the La Parada neighborhood in Cucuta, Colombia, near the Simon Bolivar International Bridge, on the border with Tachira, Venezuela, on February 9, 2019. - Venezuelans cross to Colombia to buy groceries due to the shortages in their country. Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro vowed on Friday not to let in "fake" aid from the United States requested by opposition leader Juan Guaido, which is being stockpiled at the border with Colombia. (Photo by Raul ARBOLEDA / AFP)RAUL ARBOLEDA/AFP/Getty Images AFP/Getty Venezuelans make art from banknotes in bid to give them value venezuela-currency-6.jpg Wilmer Rojas, 25, shows the purses he sewn up, using Bolivar bills in Caracas, on January 30, 2018. - A young Venezuelan tries to make a living out of devalued Bolivar banknotes by making crafts with them. (Photo by FEDERICO PARRA / AFP) / TO GO WITH AFP STORY by Margioni BERMUDEZ (Photo credit should read FEDERICO PARRA/AFP/Getty Images) AFP/Getty Venezuelans make art from banknotes in bid to give them value venezuela-currency-8.jpg Torn apart Venezuelan two-Bolivar banknotes lie in a street of Caracas on January 28, 2019. - Venezuela devalued its currency by almost 35 percent on Monday to bring it into line with the exchange rate of the dollar on the black market. The exchange rate is now fixed at 3,200 bolivars to the dollar, almost matching the 3,118.62 offered on the dolartoday.com site that acts as the reference for the black market. (Photo by YURI CORTEZ / AFP) (Photo credit should read YURI CORTEZ/AFP/Getty Images) AFP/Getty Venezuelans make art from banknotes in bid to give them value venezuela-currency-9.jpg CARACAS, VENEZUELA - FEBRUARY 02: A woman holds a sign that reads 'No more dictatorship' during a rally against the government of NicolÃ¡s Maduro in the streets of Caracas on February 2, 2019 in Caracas, Venezuela. Venezuela's self-declared president and accepted by over 20 countries, Juan Guaido, called Venezuelans to the streets and demands the resignation of NicolÃ¡s Maduro. (Photo by Marco Bello/Getty Images) Getty Venezuelans make art from banknotes in bid to give them value venezuela-currency-7.jpg CARACAS, VENEZUELA - FEBRUARY 02: People shout slogans during a rally against the government of NicolÃÂ¡s Maduro in the streets of Caracas on February 2, 2019 in Caracas, Venezuela. Venezuela's self-declared president and accepted by over 20 countries, Juan Guaido, called Venezuelans to the streets and demands the resignation of NicolÃÂ¡s Maduro. (Photo by Marco Bello/Getty Images) Getty Venezuelans make art from banknotes in bid to give them value venezuela-currency-10.jpg CARACAS, VENEZUELA - JANUARY 30: A woman holds a banner that reads "No more deaths due to lack of medicines" during a demonstration against the government of President NicolÃ¡s Maduro called by the opposition leader self-proclaimed âacting presidentâ Juan Guaido on January 30, 2019 in Caracas, Venezuela. Guaido is appealing international leaders and military forces to recognize him as the rightful president of Venezuela. (Photo by Marco Bello/Getty Images) Getty Venezuelans make art from banknotes in bid to give them value venezuela-currency-15.jpg A man cleans his stall selling hot dogs and hamburgers with new grocery prices in Caracas, Venezuela on January 15, 2019. - The president of Venezuela, NicolÃ¡s Maduro, increased the minimum wage by 300% Monday, a measure that was accompanied by a devaluation of 9.18% of the local currency, the bolivar. The new minimum income reaches two kilos of meat, in the middle of a hyperinflation that -according to the IMF- will reach 10,000,000% this year. (Photo by YURI CORTEZ / AFP) (Photo credit should read YURI CORTEZ/AFP/Getty Images) AFP/Getty Venezuelans make art from banknotes in bid to give them value venezuela-currency-14.jpg TOPSHOT - A man holds a cardboard with empty packages of different products and their prices, during a mass opposition rally against leader Nicolas Maduro in which Venezuela's National Assembly head Juan Guaido (out of frame) declared himself the country's "acting president", on the anniversary of a 1958 uprising that overthrew a military dictatorship, in Caracas on January 23, 2019. - "I swear to formally assume the national executive powers as acting president of Venezuela to end the usurpation, (install) a transitional government and hold free elections," said Guaido as thousands of supporters cheered. Moments earlier, the loyalist-dominated Supreme Court ordered a criminal investigation of the opposition-controlled legislature. (Photo by Federico PARRA / AFP) (Photo credit should read FEDERICO PARRA/AFP/Getty Images) AFP/Getty Venezuelans make art from banknotes in bid to give them value venezuela-currency-11.jpg People raise their hands during a mass opposition rally against President Nicolas Maduro in which Venezuela's National Assembly head Juan Guaido (out of frame) declared himself the country's "acting president", on the anniversary of a 1958 uprising that overthrew a military dictatorship, in Caracas on January 23, 2019. - "I swear to formally assume the national executive powers as acting president of Venezuela to end the usurpation, (install) a transitional government and hold free elections," said Guaido as thousands of supporters cheered. Moments earlier, the loyalist-dominated Supreme Court ordered a criminal investigation of the opposition-controlled legislature. (Photo by Federico PARRA / AFP) (Photo credit should read FEDERICO PARRA/AFP/Getty Images) AFP/Getty

Mr Maduro is struggling to raise funds, as production of Venezuela’s biggest export - oil - has collapsed in recent years, plunging the country into a deep economic crisis.

Furthermore the US has implemented tough sanctions on the country’s oil industry to put pressure on Mr Maduro to stand down.

The US is backing opposition leader Juan Guaido who has declared himself “interim president” amid the crisis.

Mr Guaido arrived in Brazil on Wednesday night to meet with new right-wing president Jair Bolsonaro as part of a tour of several countries aimed at ratcheting up international pressure on Mr Maduro.

According to the Venezuelan central bank’s data, there are 140 tons of gold remaining - the lowest level in 75 years.

Some 20 tons of gold were removed from the vaults in 2018.

And on 1 February, Abu Dhabi investment firm Noor Capital announced it had purchased three tons of gold from the Venezuelan central bank days earlier. But the firm said it would not buy any more until the situation in Venezuela stabilised.

Noor Capital said its purchase was in accordance with “international standards and laws in place” as of that date.

Mr Maduro’s government has also been trying to repatriate some 31 tons of gold in the Bank of England’s vaults due to fears it could be caught up in further international sanctions on the country.

Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza said on Wednesday, during a United Nations meeting in Geneva, the Bank of England had blocked the government’s assets.