Customs seize €40,000 from outbound passenger

A man had €40,000 confiscated after he failed to declare the money on his way out of Malta.

The Maltese man was found in possession of €50,000, in €500 bills last week, as he was about to board a plane at the airport.

He was detained by officials for breaching cash control legislation, the Customs Department said yesterday.

He told the Customs officers he did not know he was breaching the law even if Customs said the money was found in his shoe.

The law says that any amount above €10,000 has to be declared. Customs allowed him to keep the €10,000 but confiscated the remaining €40,000.

The police Economic Crime Unit is investigating.