Customs officials on Sunday discovered a total of €165,548 in undeclared cash on a Somali passenger headed to Turkey.

The passenger was escorted to the departures customs office after K9 Sophie sniffed out the cash and alerted the officials.

The passenger told customs he was carrying 1,600 dollars, however, the officials found more than €10,000 in his personal belongings.

A further €155,000 was found on the plane in his checked-in luggage, bringing up the total of undeclared cash to €165,548.

Anti-money laundering police officers were called to the airport and the passenger was arrested pending investigations.

Cash, tobacco, alcohol found in eight outlets

Meanwhile, during the weekend of Santa Marija, canine officers Sophie and Charlie sniffed out more cash in two hand-luggages.

It transpired that a Moroccan passenger was carrying €11,055 in undeclared cash while an Egyptian passenger had a further €15,000.

That same weekend, 10 kilos of chewing tobacco, contraband cigarettes, alcoholic beverages, lubricating oil and unused excise stamps were found in eight outlets during searches in Luqa, Qormi, Marsa, Msida, Ta’ Xbiex, Naxxar and Senglea.