Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan presented custom revolvers to every world leader attending the NATO summit in Ankara as a parting gift.
The engraved firearms were meant as a token of craftsmanship.
However, several heads of state were unaware the guns came with live ammunition.
Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever discovered the surprise only after flying home with the gift.
De Wever did not open the revolver case before boarding his flight to Brussels.
Upon landing Wednesday, he learned he had been traveling with a golden gun and six rounds of live ammo.
He immediately handed the weapon over to airport police.
Authorities are still deciding what to do with the vintage firearm. Other leaders avoided the same mistake.
The United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Sweden left their revolvers behind in Turkey.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, meanwhile, chose to keep her gift and has it on display in Rome.
