Just under €25,000 in undeclared cash have been seized by Customs officials during routine cash control searched at the arrivals lounge of Malta International Airport.

The cash was seized on Sunday morning when passengers arriving from Madrid were being screened.

A Libyan national was stopped after he exited the Blue Channel, which meant that he was arriving from an EU airport and had nothing to declare to Customs. When asked if he was carrying any cash, the passenger answered that he was carrying €5,000.

Unconvinced, the officials performed a personal search on the passenger and found €34,970.

€10,000 were returned to the passenger, while the rest was seized to be presented in court. The police Economics Crimes Unit was informed and the passenger was placed under arrest pending investigation.

As per EU and national law, any cash over €10,000 has to be declared to Customs when travelling to or from Malta.

This is part of an international legislation aimed at hampering money laundering.

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