The Customs Department has, since November, seized just over €1 million through anti-money laundering operations.

The department in November set up a nine-member Anti-Money Laundering Team specialising in the control and investigation of undeclared cash movement.

Most of the seized money was undeclared cash found hidden on passengers or their luggage at the airport or the seaport. 

"This new team has, perhaps, proved to be one of the biggest success stories in the department’s recent history, with the section achieving 48 positive cases in ten months, resulting in the collective discovery of €1,052,436", the department said on Monday.

It said this positive achievement was the result of three factors: the enactment, last year, of amendments to the Cash Control Regulations, which allow Customs to perform its controls more efficiently and effectively; the enhancement of information sharing between Customs and other local and foreign supervisory and enforcement agencies; and the hard work of the  new team at Customs.