Two Libyans admit failing to declare cash
Two Libyan men, Abdulkrim Ramadan Ali Shaban, 31 and Bujaila Ramadan Ali Benshibban 43, were separately arraigned before the Magistrates' Court this afternoon and accused of having failed to declare a total of €45,050 in cash on their arrival on a flight from Tripoli yesterday.
They pleaded guilty and were fined a total of €16,262 and had their cash confiscated.
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Ray Buttigieg
Jan 31st 2010, 09:26
@ E Muscat
To assume that the money is drug money is utter nonsense. Anybody familiar with the Libyan banking sector would understand why a person would want to invest money in another country. It could easily have been hard earned money caming here to be invested in a Maltese Bank. Lets not forget a lot of Maltese people invested millions in foreign banks in the 70s and 80s and they were not drug pushers but decent people wanting a better and safer return on their investment.
the issue is:
a) do we search europeans for undeclared cash? NO
b) do we advise passengers to declare funds? No
This case could have easily sparked a diplomatic incident. Just read what is happening between Libya and Switzerland at the moment. Can we afford such incidents and do these restrictions make sense in today's world of e-banking and e-commerce.
E.Muscat
Jan 31st 2010, 07:41
Such large sums are not for shopping!They are probably related to drugs or other illegal activities.
For shopping they go to Dubai!
J Oatmon
Jan 31st 2010, 07:08
This seems to be a 'stealth confiscation rule' designed to catch the unawary!
I regularly come through the airport, and I am not aware of any restrictions on the amount of money I can bring in - presumably this rule applies to non EU persons only?
My question is this - is it posted up in plain sight in several languages (including Arabic) and do customs point to the sign, and then ask the non EU arrivals if they understand the sign, and do they have any cash to declare.
I really cannot see the sense in this 'stealth confiscation rule' - what does it achieve, unless perhaps it lines someone's pockets with confiscated cash?
Chris Fenech
Jan 31st 2010, 02:51
Where will this sum of €45,050, that has been confiscated, go?
L.Cardona
Jan 30th 2010, 21:01
.......and we want the Libyans to do their shopping here!
Ray Buttigieg
Jan 30th 2010, 20:19
Unbelievable, what day light robbery. Is this the way to attract business men in Malta. We let thousands of illegal persons enter the country pennyless, than we hassle persons who bring in thousands into the Maltese economy. Do we ask French, German, English and other European nationals to declare what funds they bring in to Malta. If I where the Libyan government I would have called back the Libyan embassador back to Tripoli after such a senseless incident. If this is not a clear case of institutionalised racisim I do not know what is. I could understand it if they were carrying money outside the country. But getting arrested and having your money confiscated reminds me of some banana republic governed by a harsh regime.