Polish official 'convinced' that mystery Nazi train exists
Piotr Zuchowski also warned treasure hunters in south-west Poland to stop looking for the "so-called gold train" because it could be mined and dangerous.
A local Polish legend says that a German train filled with gold, gems and armaments went missing around the city of Walbrzych while people were fleeing the Red Army in 1945.
Fortune-hunters have looked for it for decades, and in the communist era the Polish army and security services even carried out apparently fruitless searches for it.
This month two men, a Pole and a German, said they found a train with armaments and valuables, leading to hopes it could be the long-lost mystery train.
So far no evidence that the train exists has been offered to the public, but Mr Zuchowski said he was "convinced" it does.
The Polish culture ministry announced it will hold a news conference on the topic on Friday afternoon.
In a statement, Mr Zuchowski said: "In connection with the published information referring to the find of the so-called gold train in the region of Walbrzych, an increase in the activity of treasure hunters has been observed.
"I am appealing to people to stop any such searches until the end of official procedures leading to the securing of the find.
"Inside the hidden train, of whose existence I am convinced, there could be dangerous materials from the time of the Second World War. There is a great chance that the train is mined," Mr Zuchowski said.
