Customs officials caught a passenger leaving Malta with more than €200,000 in undeclared cash as he was about to board his flight to Istanbul on Monday evening. 

The record find, which Customs called "unprecedented", unfolded when officials searched the man and his personal belongings. Inside his checked-in luggage, which was taken off the plane to be searched, they found bundles of undeclared cash. 

In total, officials seized €200,192, of which €10,000 were returned to the passenger and the rest seized by Customs.

Passengers are allowed up to €10,000 in undeclared cash when entering or leaving Malta. 

The man, who holds a Maltese passport and lives in Manchester, will be arraigned in court later on Tuesday, the Customs department said in a statement.

The Department said it collected €250,000 in undeclared cash in the past two months, adding the latest catch was a "remarkable success in its fight against money laundering".

Another man heading to Istanbul was caught with €18,000 in cash that had not been declared earlier this week. 

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